The Goddess Bound Girl
by Rien-Pierce
Summary: Warning! Spoilers! A girl has been led to the Karasumori site by her nemesis, OC. She is special, possesed by Amaterasu and being half ayakashi. She knows the dogs from her life in the past. 6 OCs at least. OCxKouya OCxHakubi OCxOC are some pairings. Chow
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kekkiashi nor Okami or anyone associated.

Curious? I thought so. This story is something I came up with trying to use M.U.G.E.N. There is **A LOT** of flash backs to Nanalee Outio's journey from 1592 to 2008. I don't have much else to say. That's … about it.

A lot of excitement, no?

* * *

A girl, looking to be the age of 17, was standing on the edge of a clearing. Nothing left of the village were she grew up in 400 years ago. Not even archaeologists knew about the village that trained its inhabitants to fight demons known throughout the world now as Ayakashi. The girl wore a black hooded sweatshirt over a purple top and she wore grey jeans. A belt hung off her belt loop and there was a small sack. "Well… We're back were I started that day. Never thought that it would be this long; you think Itsumo will show up soon?"

_With our luck, Udo would find us before Itsumo does._ In a flash of light unseen by human eyes, an apparition of her appeared. However, the apparition was taller and her hair was not bound in a ponytail. It flowed in the air, though there was no wind to carry it through the dry mucky oxygen. This apparition also wore a beautiful pink kimono.

"Do you have to look at stuff with so much negativity?" She said. "The sun goddess is such a pessimist." She looked off to the clearing in front of them. The sun was looming to the west. About five.

_Let us go. We came back here just as Oni said. Karasumori is north of here. The Kekkiashi there should help us… _

"Do you think Kouya …?"

The goddess looked down. _I wouldn't get my hopes up. Kekkiashi have the power to avoid my sight. I cannot tell what they are doing or even if they're still there._

She was silent. The apparition of the beautiful goddess vanished and the voice echoed in her head. _I do not wish to see you mournful. However, we still have our business._

"… let's go…" She said and walked through the clearing. Steering through the buildings that only existed in her memory.

* * *

It was terrifying. The Ayakashi demolished the village. The swordsmen that were trained there were mere toothpicks before the might of this demon army. Nanalee hid beneath a burning collapsed house. Her mind was confused, her emerald eyes wide with fear and confusion. Her head was swelling and blood thickened her black hair.

The burning village was surrounded by thick woods and was cut off from civilization; there was no hope of reinforcements or salvation from above. She hid there, hoping she would be crushed and not burn to death, or be kept as a slave for these demons. She pushed the thought from her mind. She tried to muffle her sobs, although she had a hard time doing so.

A giant hoof smashed the ground in front of the small burning cove in which hid Nanalee. "I can sense no more men. And all the women have been devoured." His voice was one she would never forget. Evil, the demon's vocal cords, if he had any, scratched together making it sound like he had a cold and his throat was raw. Hoarse as if he had been yelling orders all day. And gargly, he had probably just finished eating a human and it remnants was still in his mouth.

"Move out." A different voice said. It was much more demonic like, but much less evil. They all moved and she stayed there until the sun came up. The fire had exhausted itself on the clay. She stayed there and cried. Cried so hard that she past out from the exhaustion and fear of waiting to be killed.

* * *

_Karasumori, eh? _The girl thought to herself. There were old Japanese style houses on the right side of the street that she was walking down. Darkness had fallen on this place as she had approached this city. It was about seven now. If her information was correct, the Kekkiashi should be going out to Karasumori in about half an hour. However, she knew nothing of this city. She would have to delve deeper into the place before she could know for sure. She was certain she probably wouldn't get to see the Kekkiashi. … … She only hoped tonight wouldn't be an Ayakashi Night.

* * *

"There's just no way. It smells just like her…" Madarao said between sniffs. Yoshimuri Sumimura walked out of the house and yawned loudly, catching Madarao's attention for about two seconds.

"Hey, Madarao … what are you doing." Yoshi could tell that Madarao was a million miles away, but pressed him anyway. "What do you smell?"

"Honestly Yoshi …" He started and flew over the gate. "You should get to Karasumori. Tokine hasn't left yet." Madarao teased.

"Hey! Don't leave your master behind!"

* * *

The clock hit nine thirty and Tokine Yukimura had started getting on her Kekkiashi uniform. She did this in silence. Her white robe was complemented with pink decorations. Her father had once worn the same uniform. Her father was on her mind a lot lately. "Tokine?" Her mother called.

Tokine took a moment to notice someone had said something. "Oh, yes mother?"

"Please be careful." She stood at the opening to the dojo. She wore a pink evening gown and fuzzy house slippers.

"I always am mom. Don't worry." She gave her daughter a kiss on her cheek. Then Tokine noticed that her Ayakashi partner, Hakubi, was not in the dojo yet. She quickly rushed to the door and tied her sandals.

She opened the door. "Hakubi? Everything okay?" She saw that her partner was at the door sniffing furiously.

"Oh." He finally noticed her. "Nothing it's just … I thought I recognized this scent. Let's go Honey." He flew over the gate and Tokine followed, opening and closing the gate behind her and jumping atop a roof to make her way to Karasumori.

_Ahh … _Tokine Sighed. "We're the ones late today…"

* * *

"Where are we supposed to stay?" The girl asked herself.

_The street?_

"Not funny."

_Celes …_

"I know. Let's find a nice cozy bench …" Her eyes flew open as if she had realized something. Or some had just stuck their hand on her but. "Did you …"

_Ayakashi. And its north. GO!_

"No … not that, it's just … that feeling."

_Celes! I know how much you hope to see Kouya and Ginro, but there are Ayakashi in the city! We have to go investigate!_

"Okay…" She sped off. Running as fast as she could. Her hand resting on the sack that seems to be weighted down by something heavy inside.

* * *

"Jeez, Ayakashi …" Yoshimuri said, annoyed that he would not get to finish his Coffee milk.

"It seems that they've scattered." Madarao's proud nose at work. "They're going to be a pain to find… Anyway, as soon as we find them, finish them off swiftly."

"Shut up, I know" Yoshimuri was not hiding his annoyance about the coffee milk. He wrapped up his snack and didn't have enough time to store it before an Ayakashi appeared on the scaffolding next to them.

"Hey! Human. Are you the Kekkiashi here? Listen and be amazed, I am the prince of the demon world, Honetarou." The Ayakashi could barely be distinguished from a kindergartner. He continued with his entrance. "Ah, Ho-ne-tar-ou!"

Yoshi's face was in denial, annoyance was found somewhere in this mess of a face. "Do you know him?" He said in disbelief.

Madarao shook his head absently. "Nope."

* * *

Celes ran between buildings. The Kekkiashi of Karasumori should be there. Else, the goddess could tell her exactly where the Ayakashi were. Unfortunately, they must have been moving into attack. Now she raced north. Her only clue as to where the Ayakashi were. She kept running. Then she sensed them. Four. Another two were there as well. They were bound Ayakashi, they had their true power sealed. They must be the Kekkiashi's partners. She followed it and a feeling crept into her heart. She could sense … Kouya. She could sense Ginro; she even felt a tinge of the wolf dog she knew, Hakubi. They were all there. but… "Which one is sealed?"

* * *

"I thought I had a memory of this scent. Though. I expected her to be here as well." Two Ayakashi were in Kekkai, one blue another green. Another one, a small kid stood between Yoshimuri and his caught creature. That's when this black beast walked in. Madarao growled at him, but he sounded surprised when he spoke.

"You… you smelt her as well?" Madarao almost broke his glare. "Nanalee."

_That's who I thought it was as well. But she's dead. It's been four-hundred years. And she was human…_ Hakubi's mind was wrapped around this thought, he almost forgot about the imposing wolf Ayakashi.

"Ginro. It's been four-hundred years." The black wolf called.

"Ginro? Madarao what's going on?"

"You still call me by that reminiscent name? I discarded that name a long time ago. Back when she died." Madarao glared with furry at the Ayakashi. "I never thought that you would appear here, Kouya!"

* * *

Celes heard it. "Kouya" and it was Ginro's voice. Celes never forgot that voice, would never forget the many nights the three argued over something so trivial. She almost cried she was so happy.

_Nanalee! _The voice cried.

"I know okay! I'm just … they're here." She had tears in here eyes now. She was still running full speed. "They're really here."

* * *

"Yoshi!" Tokine called. "Someone just entered the school grounds! A human!"

"Damn it! Where is he?" Yoshi turned slightly.

"Coming this way."

A sudden voice broke through the growls. "Ginro! Kouya!" Celes rounded the corner and saw the two bearing fangs. She stopped dead in her tracks. She may have had a childish personality, but she had learned to be wise when the time called. She **had** grown wise in these four-hundred years. She saw them; bearing their fangs as if they were enemies. The tears that fell now where ones of terror.

"You're finally here." Kouya didn't even turn. Madarao looked dead at her. Shocked that she was really there. Hakubi floated away from Tokine a bit to get a closer look.

"It … really is her. Nanalee." Hakubi spoke so softly not even Madarao could hear it.

"So you still side with the humans. How pathetic." Kouya spat at Madarao.

"As I recall you sided with humans before. And the proof is standing over there."

"Madarao!" Yoshimuri yelled. "What's going on? You know these guys."

"From ... the past. Yes…" Madarao glared fiercely at Kouya.

"And you still stick with humans." Kouya's tails raised, Celes opened the bag and pullet out a katana. Yes, a full four foot katana out of the bag. "I don't like that!" Kouya's tails sent a powerful attack at Yoshi and Madarao and Celes moved in front of him with lightning speed. He cast Ketsu, not knowing that she was there until the shield went up.

The blast immediately cut through the material like paper and Celes sliced at it with her katana. She held the attack back and deflected it to the right. It vanished, the katana seeming to glow as if it absorbed some of the blow.

"Nanalee!" Kouya, Madarao and Hakubi all yelped as she appeared in the way. Yoshimuri fell down and Tokine jumped forward.

She growled. "Kouya! What do you think you're doing!"

"Nanalee." Kouya seemed to retain his glare. "I had hoped you wouldn't get in the way."

"Nanalee! How are you here, we watched you …" The words wouldn't come but Madarao hovered beside her. "You don't smell … exactly the same; you have a tint of divinity to your scent. Also a bit of Ayakashi. What happened to you?"

"Enough!" Yoshimuri stood. "Madarao, he's more than just an old acquaintance isn't he?"

"Just a little." Madarao returned to Yoshimuri's side.

"Liar! He was aiming for me!"

"He wasn't aiming at you in particularly. He hates all humans. All maybe except her."

"Stop mouthing! She's not the same girl we once knew Ginro!" Kouya yelled.

Celes's Face sunk. "Kouya …" It was barely more than a whisper. "You think that?"

"It's her fault!" He screeched. "Amateratsu!"

Tokine's eyes grew wide. "Amateratsu! The Sun Goddess!"

"Sun Goddess? Madarao? You know about this?" Yoshimuri questioned.

Celes shot a look at Madarao. "Ma … darao?"

"Master Tokimuri named me that. After he sealed me." Madarao explained, ignoring Yoshi.

Nanalee's head coked to the side. "Master Tokimuri? That handsome Kekkiashi?"

"Honey…" Hakubi glanced at Tokine. "Would you be mad if I told you that you weren't my first Honey?"

"Didn't you call great granny Honey too?" Tokine responded.

"Well … not exactly. Nanalee was my first Honey."

"So that really is you Hakubi? I haven't seen you since. … Well when we were alive."

"Stop talking." Kouya seemed to reappear in everyone's mind at once.

"So. What's up with you and these guys Madarao?" Yoshimuri pressured.

"Well. It's a long story. I died of starvation. And if I'm remembering correctly, a human killed Kouya." Madarao explained.

"But that's not the end is it?" Yoshimuri said.

"That's when we met her." Celes turned a little to see Yoshimuri's face.

* * *

Nanalee had been traveling for several months now. She was about eighteen. She saw Master Tokimuri and Hakubi at town earlier that day. As always, Hakubi was happy to see her. She was camping in the woods. She had apparently heard that two wolf Ayakashi have been wreaking havoc. However, it only appeared that the two stole a deer's worth of deer meat. She felt bad for the Ayakashi. She had once experienced starvation herself and did steal when she had escaped her village. That was two years ago now. …

She had been cooking deer meat. Apparently, the two had a taste for it and soon enough she saw an Ayakashi circling her encampment. It was hard to miss the floating smoke around their tales. One black and one white. The black one emerged first. Then the white, much more timid than the black one.

The two looked to the bone. She slowly took out her sword, stuck it into the ground on the opposite side of her, picked up a fully cooked and seasoned deer steak, and threw it at them. "You two look hungry." She said as the white wolf dove after the meat. "I don't know if Ayakashi can eat deer but." She stuck out the stick toward the black wolf. "You're my guests, have as much as you like."

"Human. What have you done to the meat!" The black wolf jumped at Nanalee but she held her ground, sitting cross-legged in front of her fire. He stood two inches from her face and she felt his breath, warm and even, against her shoulder and she stuck the deer meat between her face and the wolf's.

"EAT! You miserable dog, if Ayakashi can die of starvation then you look like you're about to drop dead!" She yelled but concern was heard in her voice. Kouya walked away, without any meat and sat on the edge of the clearing. Though annoyed at the human's arrogance, he would not leave Ginro here with her. However, he was not completely stupid. Being skinny like this was a habit a month ago. When the two dogs were still alive. He always gave food to Ginro, even though he only ate half and gave the rest to Kouya. No matter how big the portion; Kouya did all the hunting since Ginro had fallen ill.

"Kouya, you need your strength, eat some meat. …" Ginro spoke as he looked down. Feelings from before, when he always shared his own food with him. "Eat. She won't hurt us …" At this Kouya leapt up and landed a couple inches from the fire, new deer meat was roasting and his stomach won over his stubbornness.

The three became friends, even if Kouya would never admit it. They protected villages from the fate of her own. And over time, Kouya grew attached to the girl; she also grew close to the wolf Ayakashi. Ginro, Kouya, and Nanalee. The three grew close. Best friends.

Once she came to a new village, Ginro and Kouya always stayed in the surrounding wood, a man bade the villagers to follow her with weapons for she cohort with Ayakashi. One she returned and learned she was followed, Ginro and Kouya prepared to attack the humans.

However, Nanalee stopped them. "We can live with the Ayakashi!" She didn't believe it even when she said it. Kouya and Ginro were different from other Ayakashi. And her judgment was clouded by Kouya; she had unwillingly fallen in love with him. He had given into her as well. It pained him when she told them to run away and not look back … But they did. And they saw it. Red flew as one man had enough courage to stand against her.

Something choked Kouya. "NO! NANALEE!" He howled her name into the moon. He stopped Ginro right beside him.

"She told us not to look back. If we try to take them all on then we wouldn't be the people …." Ginro stopped. "The Ayakashi she knew… we may end up giving our lives and that isn't what she wants."

Kouya urged himself to move toward that human. The face, the body, every detail of that sight had been engraved into his eyes. Long black hair hid one eye and he smiled with glee as he took Nanalee's life. Kouya never knew his name; he only knew that he had taken the one human that was...

Bearable… is the word he used.

* * *

"Then you betrayed me." Kouya spat. This knocked Celes out of her memories.

"Betrayed?" Celes turned full circle. She didn't believe it yet. But Madarao's face didn't reassure her.

"After that night, he became more feral; more like an Ayakashi. His lust for human blood grew. I couldn't stop him anymore, he fed on the flesh of humans."

"Kouya…" Celes looked down. "It's my fault… If I would have just stopped living in a fairy tale."

"Then … We met … Hazuma Tokimuri and at that moment … I fell in love!" Madarao's tone changed.

Yoshimuri was silent for a moment. "Uh, the story changed suddenly."

"Umm…" Celes was wide-eyed and blushing, but sadness was still on her face.

"It didn't change. At that moment, I decided to cut all ties to Kouya."

Yoshi looked at Madarao slowly. "Eh, then you're definitely in the wrong here."

"What's wrong with a heart in love?" He smiled blushing at the memory of Tokimuri. "At that moment I knew why I couldn't pass on. It was in order to meet him!"

"You're a dog though! And worse, you're a male!" Yoshi argued.

"Shut up. There's no such thing as species or gender when it comes to love!" Madarao still in his happy daydream.

"What does that mean?" Tokine asked.

"As if I'd know. It's not something a normal dog can understand." Hakubi sighed. "But it's true that thanks to him, it was easier to seal …" Hakubi shrank back and glanced at Nanalee. She stood there backing away from Madarao.

"It's … it's true." Celes had tears forming on the edges of her eyes. "You betrayed him. You betrayed your best friend! How could you do that!" Celes was yelling now. "You could have stayed, you could have helped him. But instead you just tossed him aside when you saw your precious Tokimuri!"

Madarao's face sunk. Barraged by the insults that he knew where true. "When you cut your ties did you forget about our promise?" Madarao sunk in the air now. He flew lower, his ears plastered to his white fur. "And Kouya, have you? What happened to you? To us? It's obvious that you didn't keep your end either." Kouya's face didn't even change. He scowled with malice at his former "friends."

* * *

The three sat around the fire. They had been traveling for a month now. A bedroll laid on the right side of the fire from where the three were huddled. Pilling onto the girl after a joke, she had said. The three were laughing at each other and acting so stupid. But her eyes turned serious as the two dogs got off her. "Hey … guys."

Kouya snuggled against her and Ginro sat close to her left. "When I die…"

"Please don't talk about that. We know that we'll outlive you by many years." Ginro said.

Kouya didn't respond. But snuggled closer. "I'm serious. When I die, will you guys go back to being bad Ayakashi?" Neither of them answered. Surprised by the question. "When I die, can you forgive the humans? We cause so much damage to everyone. We demolish forests; we cause wars and fires that end the lives of many species, and mostly over some stupid cause."

"Nanalee…" Kouya started but couldn't finish the thought.

"Either we forgot to put the fire out before we leave or because I wanted this and that. Usually that's the only reason humans fight and destroy. Can you forgive us?" Neither answered. Unsure whether they would or not.

"But …" She wrapped her arms around both of their necks and pulled them into a hug. "Would you help me … create? So many things have been destroyed. So many animals run out of their home. Driven to extinction. Like you guys. My heartaches when I think about your lives after the human's came. How much torture you two endured."

"It's not your burden to fix the humans." Kouya answered.

"You talk as if I'm not one." She closed her eyes.

"I promise that nothing will change." Kouya said at once. "You're a human. And if there are more humans like you, then I can forgive them."

Ginro smirked. "I agree. If there are humans as kind as you, then the human race isn't so bad." Ginro looked at her. "What do you want us to create?"

"An example. We get along so well, but no one ever gives the other Ayakashi a chance. True they never try to live in unison with the humans. But you two are okay living with me, right?" They nodded. "And if there are more Ayakashi like you two in this world." She inhaled the forest air. "Then I can forgive the Ayakashi too."

* * *

"You're promise was nothing but a bunch of lies. How Ginro could ever fall in love with a human that wanted to kill us, it is unfeasible. Obviously you were the only …" His voice changed. "Bearable human." He gave a slight smirk, but his harsh attitude returned as swiftly as it left. However, the voice filled her with hope that his Ayakashi form in there somewhere bound the old Kouya.

"This is our chance!" Honetarou said as he jumped onto Uhosuke, an Ayakashi that had been caught by Yoshimuri. "They're deep in conversation. Go, Uhosuke!" The large ape-man Ayakashi lumbered forward until it ran face first into Tokine's Kekkai. "We … We were captured again." Yoshi and Madarao looked at the two in astonishment. How could they be so pathetic?

"What are they …?" Yoshimuri started but couldn't find the effort to waste words on them.

"Save us! Save us Boss!" Honetarou said. At this Kouya stretched his tails and used a full on attack to break through the Kekkai and hitting Uhosuke. Everyone dodged out of the way, but Tokine didn't let down her Kekkai so that Uhosuke could run. As Honetarou fell off Uhosuke's shoulders he said absently, "That was surprising."

"Go Boss! What a wild way to save us!" Then he noticed that Uhosuke wasn't moving. "Uhosuke?" He ran to his friend. "Uhosuke!"

The third Ayakashi, Celes never heard its name, flew down from the Kekkai, Kouya slashed both Kekkai, but the bird seemed unhurt. "Idiot!"

"Uhosuke!" He repeated, trying to wake his comrade. Yoshi looked in surprise. Kouya had attack one of his own friends.

"What are you doing to your friends!" He yelled. Madarao was snearing at him now. Clearly getting angrier the longer Kouya stayed there.

"Friends you say?" Kouya said harshly. "I'm tired of their uselessness. I decided to use them, but they cannot do anything. I can't save them." He glared between Celes and Madarao. "There are no other friends like you. … Hey, Ginro, Nanalee. Come with me again." He looked at Madarao. "Oppressed by the humans." Then at Celes. "Killed by your own kind. Don't you want revenge! Ginro they took our mountain! And Nanalee, they took your life. And now some Goddess is using you as her plaything."

Celes spoke instantly, but it was not her voice. "That is not true!"

"You're so persistent. I've already said I don't want to." Madarao added.

Kouya sighed in aggravation. "Why? He's not that Tokimuri guy."

"That's true, but I've had a relationship with this family longer than I did with you! I'm thinking this is fate! I'm having fun!" Madarao retorted.

"I see." He looked at Celes, but she did not budge, she scowled at him. She herself didn't believe how much she hated him right now. "Then I guess I'll cut the ties now!" An aura emanated from him now. Sending Celes back an inch or so. She sprinted over to Madarao, sword in hand. "You shouldn't have a problem with that!"

"Look at him. Ginro … He's not there anymore …" She then looked at Yoshimuri. "Prepare yourself." She assumed a stance. Holding the katana offensively before her with both hands.

"This is just right. I've decided to eat only humans." The shockwave intensified. But Celes didn't falter. Her face hard with just the hint of sadness. "Let's run riot together again!"

"He's transforming!" Yoshi yelled over the howling winds. _Still … _He thought. _He's still Madarao's friend. I should stop him somehow and drag him outside._

"He's serious." Madarao said.

"I know." Yoshimuri was beside Celes now. "I don't know who you are, but I can trust you right?"

"NO!" Madarao spat. "You don't know!" Yoshi looked back and Celes was distracted by him too. "He's strong! But he doesn't hesitate like you two." She chewed her lip. She knew he was right. "You're both thinking of a way to win without killing him right?" Honestly, Celes didn't think about it. In all actuality, she didn't want to kill him, but she didn't know how not to in this state. He would keep going until he couldn't draw breath anymore. She realized it as soon as he said it. "Impossible. You'll be killed in one go."

"You don't know how much stronger I've become Ginro!" Celes called. "My techniques are more powerful than you know!"

"I was mainly talking to Yoshi. However, you could not protect them if you fought. Kouya is just to fast." Celes closed her eyes.

_I know Ginro, but …_ She thought hard but she knew her thoughts would not reach him. The tears threaten to burst forth again. But she held them back.

"Yoshimuri!" He looked over at Madarao. "Take off the seal." Yoshi's eyes were wide open. "I'll do it. I'll finish this once and for all."

"What are you saying?" Yoshimuri remembered that one day during training in the dojo, Yoshimuri's grandfather, Shigemora, off handedly mentioned to never take Madarao's collar off. That it was a seal that would turn Madarao into his true Ayakashi self.

Madarao shouted Yoshi out of his daydream. "Hurry Yoshimuri!"

"No … but." Madarao cut him off.

"I am responsible for this… When Kouya was captured, I beg Master Tokimuri to release him." Yoshimuri gasped. "I knew it wouldn't turn out well. However, in that Kekkai … he reminded me of when he was scalded by Nanalee. And then of our promise. I couldn't watch him do it… That's why I have to finish this myself. Please! I can't take it off myself!"

Yoshimuri was struck with indecision. Disobeying his grandfather's teachings and risk their lives for a slight chance that this would work. Or just let Kouya kill them all. Well, it was an obvious choice, but he still couldn't decide. "All right. But next time you better listen to me!"

"Ehh… I'll think about it." Yoshimuri grabbed the collar.

Celes heard the calls from behind them. Hakubi gasped, it was amazing that she heard it from all the way over to where she was, and over the howling winds. Tokine's voice came out second. "No way! Yoshimuri!" He pulled the collar. It slipped off easily and he noticed that the thread was made of Nenshi.

Then from nowhere a green light shot out of the sky and crashed into Madarao. Everyone shielded their eyes as the light shone brightly. When the smoke cleared, Ginro stood. A giant wolf Ayakashi. An opposing black Ayakashi stood opposite from him. And the strings that tied Celes's heart together came untie and her chest burned with unbelievable pain. She had felt it once before. The night her village was attacked. She stood powerless as the ones she once knew faded from her memory and were replaced by these two warring Ayakashi.

"Your silver coat has replaced your white fur. So you're really your old self." Kouya said. Celes couldn't bear it. She fell to her knees. So many happy memories were just leading to this? So many years searching. 400 years of searching and this is her reward.

"You wanna start this? You never won a fight against me, did you?"

"Please." Ginro replied. "I let you win. This time it won't go that way."

"Heh, you're chatty as always."

Yoshimuri looked in awe. He was completely baffled that this was Madarao's true form. Well, surprised would be a better word. He didn't expect Madarao to look so tough. Then Madarao's tail shoved into the ground and drew a line, making Yoshimuri jump out of the way. "Get back Yoshi. There's no place for you today."

Kouya roared in anger a swept his tail around. "Ginro, do you love humans that much!" Ginro dodged, leaving an image in his place. An illusion. He skid to a stop and jumped toward Kouya. He missed and the two started slashing at each other. Both missing. Celes finally doubled over. Her life was falling apart. The tears came, then sobs. She whispered their names once. Then she remembered how soft their coats were. Why? She didn't know. Memories were filling her thoughts, maybe trying to block out what was happening but couldn't. No matter how hard she tried. She knew that one of them would die. Once of her closest friends was going to die. If not both.

Tokine spoke, "How amazing." Hakubi wasn't beside her. He was flying toward the broken Celes. The sword she had was lying beside her.

"Nanalee!" He flew toward and nudged her, trying to bring her to reality. "Nanalee! You have to get up!" It didn't work. She could barely hear anything anymore. Then she blacked out and the goddess took over her body.

"Hakubi." It was a different voice. Much deeper but not like a man's voice. Her hair tie broke and her hair fluttered around her in the crisscrossing winds, it still flowed with its own rhythm being still behind her if she willed it like now. She got up and put the sword back in the magic sack. Her eyes were red from crying but the face was different. Longer, sharper. Her lips had more color now and she walked away with such grace that Hakubi couldn't help but stare at her strut. He followed her but when she was at a safe distance he turned on her.

"Who are you! You're not Nanalee!"

Tokine was surprised that Hakubi had just stared at her but instead of helping her. But now she understood. This was not Nanalee. She was taller now as well. "Heel Hakubi." She held a hand up and Hakubi instantly calmed down. Not knowing why. "When this girl was murdered I took pity on her. I brought her back to life because I needed a champion to face Yami's champion … Udo."

Hakubi's eyes grew larger still. "You **are** The Sun Goddess! Amateratsu." He immediately bowed. Tokine followed his example.

"This is … not the time. Nanalee cannot handle this. Her heart couldn't take it. Seeing so much, she could not take the stress. Although she is wise, she cannot act with a clouded mind. She fainted out of sadness on the battlefield and though I do feel bad for her, I thought it childish."

"Excuse me for saying but she has good reason." Hakubi stated.

"I agree, though I do ask your apologizes. But she is dying inside I can tell." Tokine added.

_Let me back in control._ Nanalee was conscious now.

_What if you get killed? I will not allow it. _Amateratsu thought.

_I'm sorry Amateratsu, I'm not asking for your permission. These are my friends! I can't let them do this!_

Then Amateratsu fainted. Tokine caught her just in time. She sighed and raised back up. Her godly glow gone. Her hair fell flat against her back. Down to the small of her back. She stood back up. "Thanks." She looked over at Yoshimuri. He was helping move Uhosuke. "Miss. Go help him. I can't leave yet."

"Honey!" Hakubi stopped himself. "Please don't die Nanalee." She reached into the sack and pulled out a hair tie. She put her hair back up and reached in again for the sword.

"I'm sorry Hakubi. Maybe we can catch up in the afterlife?" She was joking but it hurt Hakubi. "Go …"

"My name is Tokine. I'll go but I'd advise you stay away from them."

All she said in return is. "Nanalee Oituo."

She turned and ran to the outer perimeter. The last part of the safe zone. She looked at the raging monsters. She rushed in as Kouya landed a harsh blow against Ginro's chest. "STOP!" She screamed but both seemed to ignore her. Ginro had released some needles from his tail and Kouya was just commenting on how pathetic it was. She stood between them now, Ginro wanting to move and tackle her out of the way. But Kouya's tail flail toward her. She blocked the tail with her sword. She slid to the left a couple of yards but held her ground. She looked up and released her left hand from the sword. She stuck her middle and forefinger up into the air and sliced it across her sight. Instantly a black mark appeared beside Kouya and bashed him in the side. It sent him flying; a little blood flew, not much however.

He rolled over then got back up on his hind legs. "Brush techniques? She's poisoned you even further." Ginro was surprised. Not that she could use these lost techniques, but because she blocked a direct hit from Kouya's tail with little recoil.

"Please. Kouya. Ginro. Stop this … this senseless fighting! Why are you doing this? What is your purpose for killing each other!"

Kouya didn't give her any thought. "You're weak because you're the human's DOG!" He ran swiftly passed Celes. Straight to Ginro. He was able to dodge Kouya's first attack, but he was left open to Kouya's claws. "Wake up Ginro! You're a MOUNTAIN DOG!" He brought down his claws in an X, sending blood in both directions. Ginro slammed into the school, demolishing the wall. Then he fell. Helpless.

Thoughts ran through her mind how she could distract Kouya. This was not Kouya. It saddened her to think that way, but she hoped it would help her sleep at night. "Hypocrite!"

Kouya turned from Ginro. "Sentiments of a pathetic human."

"Don't you remember? You cling to your memories with Ginro! But what about me? We loved each other! Don't you remember that! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO LOVED THE HUMANS!" Kouya snapped and came at Celes; she dodged and blocked the tail swipes. She back flipped and smacked him in the face with her basic technique, Brush Strike. It sent a sharp spot of ink over anything she drew it over with her fingers. As long as it was in her vision and she could only create one slash at a time. All the while, her heart finally gave. She didn't care now, there would be time to care when she was either dead or after she had killed Kouya. those were the only options now.

Unfortunately. Yoshimuri ran back into the clearing. Celes cursed her luck. Ginro was getting back on his feet, seemingly recovered from the last strike. However, he was bleeding badly. "Madarao …" Nanalee was distracted and she felt the full front of Kouya's tail. She hit a wall, fell to her knees, and got back up. She had felt worse than this before, she was okay. But now Yoshimuri was in play. He wasn't going to last nearly as long as she did against Kouya. Hopefully he'd focus on Ginro or her. He sprinted, hit Ginro with full force, and delivered a swift swipe to his wound. Ginro collapsed in front of Yoshimuri. Celes started but her leg was caught on an above ground tree root and she fell.

"Damn it!" She quickly sliced the root as Kouya approached Ginro's broken body.

"Did you forget the pain of being hunted by the humans? The hatred? The Scorn!" Kouya asked.

Ginro struggled to his side. "Kouya, is that all that's left in you?" He stated and grunted to rise. "We had a lot of fun together too. I remember it all." He sighed as he gained enough strength to stand. "Hey, Kouya … It's painful to live closed up." Celes was there in front of Yoshimuri in her fighting stance. Waiting. "I may have lived away from the wild for far too long…" Up close Ginro's wounds was a lot worse. Blood seemed to pour out, but unknown to her, Karasumori was helping him regenerate the lost blood quickly. "I don't feel as though I can beat your speed. But, I am the one who left you alone." He coughed. "I should have been stronger when she died. Instead, I just let you fall into despair and fell for my own lust. And that's why …" He struggled. How was he going to go on with the battle? Celes had no idea, she had to defend him. Kouya was no longer Kouya and she kept saying that repeatedly in her head. It helped battle the tears. "I … I have to finish this." _Even if this is a stalemate._ He thought, then illusions popped into existence and surrounded Kouya. They all said this at the same time. Making an eerie voice that seemed to come from all directions. "Kouya, let's end this."

He roared into the sky, Celes wondered how this Ayakashi could be kept secret from the rest of the world. "You've fallen this low? Do you seriously think that this illusion will work against me? He spun and sunk his tail into one. It seemed to be the real one. His tail pierced deep within Ginro's chest.

Yohsimuri yelled and Celes screamed, "GINRO!" Ginro then bit the tail that impaled him. Then one of the illusions turned into Ginro's tail and it pierced Kouya in the chest, near where his heart should be. It went straight through his chest and out his back. Celes couldn't hold the tears back. _They're going to die… They're going to die…_ Is all that went through her head. Her eyes wide with fear and her mouth agape. She could manage the sobs, but it took all her strength to choke them back.

Yoshi ran forward and yelled, "Madarao!"

"Yoshimuri!" Celes reached forward and chased him.

He stopped next to Ginro and stared. He must have felt more useless now than he had ever been. Celes ran to Ginro's face. "Ginro! Stay with me Ginro! C'mon." Her voice broke at the end and got softer.

Kouya grunted. "I see. You hid your tail in the illusions. You only learned unfair tricks, eh? Nonetheless, in the end, you're nothing." Ginro looked up weakly. But Celes. There was nothing left in her anymore. Her tear ducts had dried up and her throat was raw.

"Shut up." She said it with an unbroken voice. Kouya took in a breath to speak but Celes drew a figure in the air and said, "I said, shut UP!" Then a ball of fire appeared and exploded near Kouya's wound. Sending him backward. She couldn't take it anymore. She blocked it all out. The emotions the memories. Even their voices. She snapped.

She picked up the sword and ran toward him. She easily dodged his blows and hit home. Right in his wound. He screamed then fell to the ground. He swung his tail but she jumped and landed on it. He threw her into the air and she fell down and stabbed him right in the same spot, one or two inches over. She jumped off him. And he sprang up he grunted. His eyes widened and she saw that he had been sweating. Why? She didn't know nor cared at this moment.

"As expected Kouya. What I did is finally starting to take effect.

"What …. What did you do!" He said between heaves. As he was in obvious pain, Celes composed herself, willing her feeling to come back.

Ginro chuckled. "Poison. For you I needed to put in quite a bit. And I put in a bit of anesthetic so you wouldn't notice."

"Then! When the needles!"

"I am a demon poison user who can stop anything instantly. You thought I wasn't doing anything these 400 years?"

"YOU!" He stood up but very steadily. He could barely move now that he poison had taken effect.

"It's all right. Do as you wish. I can't be saved anymore. You'll die too and it will all be over." Ginro was arrogant, even though he was close to death.

Celes wanted to scream. How will it be over? Sure, he and Kouya would be dead, but how would that effect the rest of them? How could she ever face Itsumo or Kaldasha again with the smile the two had come accustom too?

"You're just being selfish!" Celes yelled. "How can you do that? How can you really say it will all be over! What about Yoshimuri? What about Tokine or Hakubi?" She fell to her knees. "What about me! You don't know how far the ripples of your actions go! If you felt guilty then you should live to make it up! Not decide to die when things are too much to deal with! Decide to live. Decide to care. It was there when Master Tokimuri captured Kouya. You didn't want him to die! You had left him alone. You had felt as if you betrayed him. You let him go because you wanted to make it up to him someday didn't you!"

"Tokimuri …" Ginro whispered. Celes was right. But it was too late. He made his decision. It was too late to go back now. Kouya fell with a cough of blood. "Did that do it? I wonder…" He looked at the moon. _Tokimuri-sama. Can you forgive me for being so stupid?_ He closed his eyes.

But this night wasn't over yet.

An aura pulsed then shot up like before. Howling wind blew outward and Kouya look as if he would transform again. "I will not die!"

Celes couldn't believe this. Kouya was completely gone. It dawned on her now. She had been saying it that entire night. But before she had just been saying it to calm her nerves. Now she fully realized that the wolf dog that she loved no longer existed. She dropped her head, her tear ducts seemed to have already revitalized. Damn those regenerative powers. _Amateratsu. It's … He's … Please don't make him suffer._

_I understand._ Celes collapsed as Ginro's eyes snapped open. Again she gained a godly glow. Her hair tie exploded and her hair floated around on its own. She got up and pick up the sword. She waved her hand and a gale storm engulfed Kouya, Binding him. But before she could crush him, Kouya's aura pulsed and shot outward, breaking her hold.

She saw Yoshimuri standing in front of Ginro. She didn't know what he was doing but she ran over there standing between the two forces. "Yoshimuri." She spoke. "Do not interfere. He is absorbing the power of Karasumori. He's to powerful for you now."

"You said you were gonna follow my orders if I took your collar off right?" Yoshimuri said, ignoring Amateratsu.

Amateratsu ignored them in return, and started after the Ayakashi. "It wasn't enough for the humans to take my friends away. But now their God has chosen one of them to kill me. Altered her form. Part Ayakashi. Part Divinity. Part human. An abomination." Kouya sounded … Sorrowful. "You turned her into a monster. I shall never forgive you!" He charged at Amateratsu. She jumped clean over him and land on the other side. As he spun around to face her, she used her brush technique to unbalance him. Sending wind into his left side. Then she struck deep. The blade shined a brilliant gold as it stuck inside the monster. He grabbed her and threw her against a building. However, she landed and cushioned the throw by bending her outstretched legs and free hand as she hit the wall. She flipped off and ran toward him again. Using the basic slash techniques to distract him and she stabbed him again.

She jumped backwards this time and carried the sword the length of his X shaped scar the blade again glowed up until she removed it from his flesh. She noticed that his wounds were healing faster than before. She'd have to strike the heart to end this quickly.

"A divine prank! Putting me through betrayal twice! By the ones closest to my heart!" Kouya sprang at her. She dodged elegantly. Though there was trouble. Celes was talking those insults and engraving them into her brain. She wasn't taking this fight very well. Again a miss at the heart. She tried slicing his neck but that healed too. Then Ginro and Yoshimuri were standing behind Kouya.

"What!"

"Kouya! Have you forgotten? We are Mountain Dogs, and we have a code! We obey the strong! That was the law wasn't it?"

"We obey the strong. Then I'll have to become stronger! So that you will have to obey me! I'll even take the mountain where we met that Tokimuri as well!"

Ginro shoved his tail deep into the ground. Kouya noticed and turned to strike them. However, Yoshimuri put up three Kekkai to soften the blow. It broke through the first two with ease, but the last Kekkai was elastic and caught the tail. Amateratsu saw and opening. She rushed up to Kouya and saw Ginro's tail coming out of the ground. He wasn't going to hit the heart. She jumped onto his back and grabbed his fur, stabbing the heart as the tail shifted through one of his lungs.

He gasped a large breath and fell to his knees. Blood spilled form the wounds. He was not recovering form that. "How is that? My master is pretty good isn't he? It's not as bad as you say to work for the humans." He retracted the tail. Yoshimuri sighed in relief. He had been holding his breath. He released his Kekkai and Amateratsu fell to her knees, and allowed Celes to take over. Once she did, she ran over to Kouya and picked up his head.

"Kouya. I'm sorry. Sorry that I couldn't save you. Sorry that I thought everything was gonna be okay when those villagers followed me. I'm sorry that I couldn't find you in this world before now. If I had. Maybe you wouldn't have to die." By this time Ginro had walked over to where he lay, slowly dieing.

"Forgive me, please. It's all my fault…" She wept. Finally letting her emotions take control.

"Kouya." Ginro loomed above her.

He moved his head slowly. "Your poison … doesn't work … I'm right at the edge. Kill me properly."

"Kouya …" Ginro repeated. A thick layer of mourning lined his name.

"Stop it!" Honetarou as well as his comrades stood at the entryway. "If you kill our boss, we'll be your next opponents." His voice was shaky. Obviously terrified. Celes hardly acknowledged their existence.

"Ah, Monkey. You didn't die." Kouya managed to say. "Brat. I'll give you some credit for not chickening out and running away."

Honetarou just stood there. "Boss …" was all he could manage to say.

Kouya continued. "I was so sick and tired of sticking with you guys and wandering around! Disappear!"

The kid looked like he was about to cry. "Nagao, Uhosuke. We're going."

"Is that okay?" Yoshimuri asked. He felt bad for the kid. Or Ayakashi. Whatever it was.

"It's okay. These are boss' wishes. Boss' orders are absolute!" He wiped tear form his eyes. "Following them is the job of a subordinate!"

"So why are you …"

"Shut up! Boss is amazing! He's strong and cool! To me, it's like a dream … Boss!" He turned toward Kouya. "You were the strongest and the best boss ever! Thank you very much for everything!"

"Heh. They're idiots that just can't be saved. Jeez." Kouya's words were cruel Celes couldn't believe it. But she heard him returning. His sarcastic voice. Snood comments trimmed with concern and worry. Softness in his eyes and jeez, a word he used a lot … back then. "For the last four hundred years, no matter how hideously I treated them, they still followed me. Hurry up and get the point. Staying somewhere warm and cozy is more suited for your personalities! Hurry up and disappear!" Celes smiled. "Take care of yourselves." They got up and walked away.

"I'll hold a memory service." Yoshimuri managed to say before they left.

Honetaruo answered. "Do whatever the boss wishes. Only … I won't say thanks, because we're still enemies!"  
They started running away now. Tears probably pouring down there faces. "BOSS!" Honetarou wailed as he ran out of sight.

"Nanalee. Ginro." Kouya looked up at the two. "This reminds me of the old days. The three of us. Me and Nanalee close together while Ginro sat next to us. Heh."

Celes smiled. Then tried to swallw past the lump in her throat. "We had some good times right Ginro?"

"Yea. I guess … we kept our promises after all." Ginro drew closer.

"Nanalee. I'm sorry for those things I said. An abomination … I wanted to say that before Ginro finished me. I have no regrets."

"Forgive me first. I was more horrible that either of you two."

"I … do" He coughed. "Ginro do it now."

"I gave it all I had Kouya. I don't have enough energy."

"What about me?" She choked on the idea.

"I couldn't ask you. It has to be Ginro, Err…." He was in pain.

"I understand Kouya." She said.

"Yoshimuri, I hate to ask but could you finish him for me? Please." Ginro asked but Kouya intervened.

"Wait! Give me a break! I don't want to leave this world by the hand of a human! Ginro, you do it! You must do it." An aura then started to form around Ginro. A green aura. Celes felt it as if it were a summer breeze.

"This is bad!" Yoshimuri saw the glow but didn't know it was coming from Ginro. "Is he going to revive again?" Yoshimuri squinted, "Wait, the power is going to Madarao? What exactly is happening?"

_Is this power, Karasumori? Is it telling me to do it?_ Kouya and Ginro exchanged looks. "Alright Kouya. This ends it!" Then Ginro extended his tail and shoved it deep into Kouya's chest.

"Ginro, you win." Kouya retracted upwards, breaking Celes's grip.

"I'm sorry Kouya." She caught his head as it fell into her lap.

Tear were in her eyes. She was here. At the end of her personal journey and this had been the consequences she dug her face into his cheek fur and listened and felt the vibrations of his shaky breath. "Kouya…" She whispered.

"I've put in a lot of anesthetic, soon you won't know what's going on." Ginro asked. Sorrow lined his words. He felt just as terrible as Celes, but his feral nature wasn't going to let him show it as easy as Celes.

"Anesthetic? You're still soft till the very end."

You're playing tough to the very end."

"Hey. Ginro? Was I strong?"

Celes nodded as Ginro said "Yes."

"But no matter how many humans I eat, they never disappear. Why? They're so weak."

"Kouya? Was I strong?" Celes asked, muffled through his fur.

"You're the one who struck my heart remember? You stood after I hit you with my tail, and blocked it more than once. You're very strong." Celes wasn't sure if he was talking about the stab or when they fell in love, since she wasn't the one that actually stabbed him.

"Then how is it so hard to believe that the humans can be strong..." She knew she said the wrong thing but Ginro backed her up.

"Kouya." Ginro began to explain. "There are different types of strength. But it's true that you were strong."

"I see. Then. That's all right." A wind blew through the courtyard, making his long fur stir.

"So, Kouya... Can you forgive the humans?" Celes asked.

He smiled. "Nanalee ..." He swallowed. "Ah, how annoying. I don't have anywhere to go back to." An aura surounded him. It was cold, Karasumori accepting Kouya's death. "I want to go back … I want to go back to our mountain."

He was fading. Soon all that would be left is his fur. Celes cried_._ She lifted her head to look into his beautiful red eyes before he disappeared. He tilted his head to see the two. A smile on his face as he passed. Sobs wailed through her raw throat. Hurting her even more. Soon she'd cough blood she was sure.

"Goodbye, Kouya." Ginro knelt and put his head next to hers. She rested her forehead on the side of his nose and wraped her hands around him and still wept. _I didn't hate you for what you did. And I hope you don't hate me, for what I did._

Twenty minutes later, Celes had stopped her crying. She sat still against Ginro's leg, watching as Yoshimuri commenced the memory service. Hakubi floated over and asked if she was okay. She scratched Hakubi's favorite place, the right side of his neck right where the jaw ended. It sent chills down his spine and she told him that she would be fine.

"Tch. Stupid isn't it?" Ginro finally said. "He could have made many places to go back to himself."

"Just like him. Having nowhere to go back to, he probably decided that he couldn't turn back." Shaky breaths followed her statement as they watched Yoshimuri finish up.

He gave a short prayer. "Ketsu! Metsu!" The patch of fur then exploded inside its box. A silence then erupted into the surroundings. It didn't last long. "Madarao? Are you all right?"

Before he could answer Tokine yelled. "Yoshimuri!" He turned and saw a bag of beads flying toward him and struggled to catch it. "Hurry up!" Celes turned to see why Tokine was yelling.

"What?"

"Sealing!"

"Sealing?" Yoshimuri repeated. Then Celes felt the muscle's in Ginro's paws tense and she looked up to see Ginro's eyes glowing green. He tilted his head and his smirk was filled with pure evil. He lifted his paw and smashed it to the ground where Yoshimuri was standing. He jumped out of the way to avoid it.

Celes jumped away from Ginro as well. Her heart threatening to untie again.

"Madarao! What are you doing!" Yoshimuri yelled as Ginro rampaged.

"Madarao is an Ayakashi as well!" Tokine yelled

"So he'll transform because of Karasumori?"

"That idiot … He's showing his true nature." Hakubi cursed. "In this state he doesn't recognize any of us." As if he was talking to her Celes got up, trembling. She didn't know what was going to happen. She had felt this urge before. The urge to destroy, the urge to just let it all go and let **her** take over. But she knew if she let her feral side take control, she wouldn't be able to reclaim her own body. But the Ayakashi fought her constantly, sometimes waiting for moments like this, feeling utter helplessness and despair consuming her. This is when it fought the strongest. And it was winning right now. Then Ginro tilted his head to the sky and from his maul came a devilish howl.

And she broke.

Amaterasu's ghostly figure shot out of Celes and she fell to all fours, howling in a way that should have destroyed her vocal cords. Her body twisted, wretched, and warped in different ways, breaking some bones and then small bony wings shot out of her back and her face darkened. Clothes shredded and flew through the sky. She barely had anything covering her breasts and legs. Dark tattoos appeared on her body and her eyes color changed from green to a crimson red. Thirsting for blood.

She gave one last twisted howl, sounding even more horrific than Ginro's last one. And then she was silent and she calmly stood. Everyone looked at her. Hakubi wanted to speak but he was too vexed. Same as Yoshimuri and Tokine. Ginro looked at her with a grin so ghastly it made Yoshimuri fear him more than the late Kouya. And the Ayakashi looked back at Ginro. Anger and hatred fought for dominance over her face.

"It's all so stupid." She said. A voice that didn't belong to Celes. "Those past things, You, Kouya, Hakubi. And I am tired." She pushed a hand into the sky and a green fire sparked to life above her hand. "I'm just so tired of it all. This world … it cannot change. She was foolish to believe that you three could change it. So instead I'm going to end it." Amateratsu stood in fighting position, her kimono fluttering in the nonexistent wind. The three of them made a triangle. "For all the things it has done to me, it shall end."

"Honey …" Hakubi said.

She burst forward with speed unknown to her. Flinging the fire at Amaterasu, though she dodged it. Amateratsu matched her speed and blocked a blow with the sword. Celes's palm bled as her hand/claw met the sharp edge. In a moment, Ginro was on top of them, swiping and kicking. The two dodged the Ayakashi's blows and Celes delivered blows of her own, giggling devilishly in the process. Ginro toppled as she jumped straight into his stomach, knocking the breath from his lungs.

As he was down Yoshi jumped on him but Celes was soon beside him knocking him across the courtyard and spilling the bag of beads. She jumped on Ginro's throat and dug one hand into it. Roars of pain screeched forth from Ginro's maul. Yoshi quickly got the beads then cast Ketsu on Celes, knocking her off him.

"Hey! Ghost thing!" Yoshi yelled. Amaterasu looked at him, obviously offended. "I have to seal Ginro, but Nanalee or whatever is getting in the way. How long can you hold her off?"

"Long enough." She replied as she boomed forth. Her sword struck Celes in many places. Only small scratches were left however. Karasumori was working in Celes's favor, giving her faster rejuvenation and more reserves of strength. However the Goddess also had the upper hand. The Ayakashi in Celes couldn't use brush techniques. The two fought as Yoshimuri tended to Ginro. Tokine and Hakubi were providing assistance.

The two fought. Fought and fought until both were injured. Amateratsu had to be careful to avoid all vitals, however Celes could aim anywhere. Not that the Goddess was capable of dying, she would just return to her realm until she was healed.

Claws tore Amateratsu's robes, but her kimono threaded itself back together. She was also able to regenerate, but not as fast as Celes. She finally saw her opening. The Ayakashi fighting Amateratsu on the outside and Celes on the inside had finally weakened it enough to provide an opening. Amateratsu's body blurred and sucked into Celes's mouth. The demon screeched and collapsed. Celes rolled over on her back. Barely conscious. All she could do was moan. Blood poured from her wounds and the only thing she could hear was Ginro, wailing in pain. She didn't know what was happening, but she couldn't pass out. She fought the darkness that threatened to bring her to unconsciousness. The demon would take over again.

Then she heard Hakubi and Tokine's voices. "Nanalee! You're okay right?"

"She should be, she needs to get out of here." Tokine assured.

"Remember, Yoshi needs him to be still."

Tokine turned. "Right." There was a moment where the two were silent. Then, "Ketsu! Metsu!" She heard Ginro wail and then light shot to the sky. Smoke, dust, something then surrounded her. She closed her eyes, they were irritated by whatever filled the clearing. Then everything was quiet. For a few seconds, she thought she had died. But she opened her eyes and heard Ginro, Madarao. She wasn't sure which form he'd taken. She heard Yoshimuri apologizing then.

"Nanalee? Nanalee!" Madarao was floating weakly above her, Celes was unsure how she felt that he was floating weakly.

She moved her lips but no sound came from them. Her throat was completely dry and raw. She still mouthed. "It's … over."

"YOSHIMURI!" Yelled a voice. One Celes didn't recognize. A newcomer. She only hoped it wasn't an Ayakashi. "You Idiot! You undid Madarao's seal!"

"Ah! Shige is here!" Yoshimuri yelled.

He stopped. She could see him now. An old man Kekkiashi, his hair spike up around his bald spot. "Who is this! She looks hurt , bad."

"Her name is Nanalee, she needs to get out of here." Yoshimuri turned around, carefully picking her up. "We can take her to my house. Dad will cook her something and give her some medicine."

"Fine. But you get back here as soon as you do. You're cleaning up this mess!"

"As expected of the Sumimura's." Called another voice. Sounded like it came from a granny. "Who's the girl?" Her voice sounded concerned. She was tired of new arrivals. She had realized that she was starving when Yoshimuri mentioned cook.

"Go Yoshi. Get her to bed." Hakubi said. He seemed as concerned as Madarao.

Then he ran off and leaped onto a building followed by Madarao. "Hey, don't black out on me. You have to be starving from what you just did."

"I haven't eaten in days actually." Her voice returned.

"What? The how strong are you when you're healthy?"

"Stronger than you ... ? Yeah, that sums it up." Celes smiled.

"Save your strength Nanalee." Madarao called from behind them. She took his advice and watched as the sky went by. Yoshimuri was pretty strong. Madarao and everyone else had been pretty strong. Was she really more powerful than them? She was lost in thought when she arrived at Yoshimuri's house.

-Chapter 1-

* * *

Well there's the first chapter. A bit long, but I wanted to get all the elements in. Amateratsu and Celes fighting, as well as the fight with Ayakashi Celes. Writers block from ace the hedgehog caused me to be bored in my little free time, so I wrote this. Tell me in the reviews if you want me to continue it, I'm sure that it can be a one shot. Legend of Zelda: demon chronicles has not progressed much. Sorry. Not much free time and writer's block sucks.

Rien_Pierce

February 11, 2011


	2. Chapter 2

So, here we are. Chapter two. Probably not going to be as long as the first one, but it's there.

Disclaimer.

Yoshimuri took Celes into the house. Luckily, Yoshi's father, Shuji Sumimura, had not gone to sleep yet. Shuji quickly fixed a large meal and Celes did not waste time chowing down. She ate the large meal in only a few moments.

"My, you look terrible. Here let me go ask if the Yukimuras can lend us an evening gown." Shuji left. Madarao had stayed behind, complaining that the sealing had completely drained him since Yoshi was so bad at it. He offered to stay with Celes and keep her company while Shuji was gone.

"Nanalee?" Madarao said seeing if she was still there.

"Ginro? What is it?" Celes stopped. "Sorry, you want me to call you Madarao?"

"I … yeah." Madarao was beating around the bush but he finally looked her straight in the eye. "Do you hate me?"

Celes was surprised by the question. "Hate you? Why would I hate you?"

"Well, I left Kouya to his fate, I am probably the soul reason he turned out that way. And well, then I killed him." Madarao looked down. He looked like he was about to cry.

"No." Celes leaned back onto a wall. "It was probably fate. I guess that the price of pressuring a God to include a personal quest into a contract."

Madarao looked relieved. "As much as your last sentence has me curious, I want to know how you know Hakubi?"

"It was before I met you. I told you about my village remember?"

"It was destroyed, right?"

"Mhm. Anyway, I didn't tell you that two years later I decided that I would take revenge against the gang of demons that destroyed it. But, I wasn't strong enough to stand up to even the underlings outside. And Master Hazuma Tokimuri saved me."

"So you knew Master Tokimuri!" Madarao exasperated.

"Yeah, he was the closest thing I had to a friend I guess. Back then, Hakubi was just an energetic 3 year old. Apparently, I was his first "Honey." They both giggled. "Anyway, me and Tokimuri kept bumping into each other and sometimes he left Hakubi with me to go perform an exorcism."

Madarao busted into laughter. "You were Hakubi's babysitter? That's just too priceless!"

"Gin! … Madarao!" Celes yelped then settled down. "Well … I've been Celes Hagat for a while. I guess I could change my name back to Nanalee Oituo. It is my real name after all." Shuji then came back with a robe and Tokine's mother, Shizue, followed him.

"Oh dear, you look pretty bad!" Shizue exclaimed as she took the gown from Shige. "Hmm. You're a bit too tall to fit in it, but it's better than wearing nothing."

"Oh, that's not a problem at all." She closed her eyes as she glowed then shrank to fit the robe.

Everything was silent for a moment. "You have some interesting powers." Madarao said after the initial surprise.

"Yeah." Her voice was a little high now. She had reduced her physical age enough to shrink and fit in the robe. "Hey, uh Shuji? Can you and miss …"

"My name is Shizue Yukimura. And yours?"

"Oh, I never did introduce myself to any of you. My name is Nanalee Oituo. I'm actually from around here." She chuckled. "Oh, can you and Shuji leave so that I can talk with G – Madarao?" She tried not to sound rude, but that's how the words came out as.

"Sure, keep the robe dear." She left the room, presumably to go back to her own house, followed by Shuji, who was presumably going to bed.

The two waited a minute before continuing. "So, what about that contract?"

"Mmm …"

She had just stood there. How could she have just stood there? "NO! NANALEE!" She heard from Kouya.

_I told you not to look back … stubborn …_Were her last thoughts before she passed out. Darkness surrounded her; the pain faded and was replaced by cold. She was scared; this is what death was. She floated there somehow. In the darkness and then a light illuminated the darkness. Nanalee would have closed her eyes if she had thought she had any.

"Nanalee Oituo…" An eerie voice called. Nanalee tried to speak, but nothing happened when she tried. "I am the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. I watched you as you traveled with the Ayakashi, and saw your ties to Udo. Udo is involved in something much more devious than just revenge."

"What are you talking about?" Nanalee managed to say.

"The king of the Ayakashi, Yami, is rising. He has chosen Udo to enact his resurrection. This dark quest must be stopped. Killing you was part of the ritual, "Killing a maiden whose ties transcend the border of human and demon."

"He killed me because of Ginro and Kouya?"

"It's not that simple. Because of your courage to travel with these Ayakashi, it made you a threat to Yami. You could have united the two races to fight him. And he would not have survived the encounter."

"So what are you going to do?" Nanalee was concerned about her friends. If this led back to the real world, she wanted to find them.

"You can no longer unite the races against Yami; Udo is spreading the news of your death to many sources. However, you can still stop Udo from resurrecting him. I have chosen you to be my champion. Will you accept my offer?"

"What does that mean exactly? You're sending me back to the living world?" Nanalee was getting excited but her voice couldn't break the monotone she had going.

"Yes, but everything to do with divinity must be done under contract."

"What are the terms?"

"You will be stronger, but you will share your body with my spirit. In addition, you cannot be brought back to life without being an Ayakashi as well. Your Ayakashi is … evil. It is more feral than anything you have met so far. However you will have control of your body unless something happens." She went into explaining in full detail. The Ayakashi would continuously battle for dominance over the body, but as long as her spirit inhabited the body, the Ayakashi would have to fight her and win, which would never happen. However, Amaterasu can also take over the body when their life is threatened. "Do you understand?"

"What happens when I fulfill the contract?"

"You die and come live in my kingdom."

"Can I add something to that contract?"

"You can ask, yes."

"I don't want to die before I see my friends again. Can you make it that way?"

The goddess was silent for a moment. "Yes, that can be arranged."

"And that was my contract." Nanalee waved her hand as if it was a meaningless detail.

"So, where did you go? How come you didn't seek us out?" Madarao asked.

"I did try to find you guys, but I was trying to not be selfish. I wanted to see you guys, but I also didn't want to seem like a selfish champion. Though I did stop Udo from resurrecting Yami several times, I've often fought down to the wire and he still managed to get away at the last second. Every time."

"Must be frustrating, so you decided to fight Udo and keep the world at peace rather than risk it's safety by searching for Kouya and me. Seems pretty honorable. Unexpected since you're such a selfish brat." He giggled.

"I should hit you." She giggled as well. She had missed Ginro, or Madarao, whichever. They were best friends. He was the best of the best really, although they never talked that often when they had first met.

"What happened afterwards?" Madarao pressed.

"Hmm… I met Itsumo after that."

"Itsumo?"

"He's a knight from a kingdom to the west, it fell and he almost died fighting off Kancan, a very strange half – Ayakashi. She does so many horrible things and she doesn't really care, but she's so joyful all the time. She just makes me uneasy."

"This Kancan? She has an orange mane and whiskers with Chakra blades?" Madarao said, surprising Nanalee.

"You've met her?"

"Master Tokimuri, me and Hakubi, once he turned into an Ayakashi, took her on."

"Well, I guess she got away then?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"She's traveling with Udo now, and Itsumo and I got separated a few months ago, Kaldasha leaves and comes back on is own accord."

"Kaldasha?"

"I'm not really sure who he is. I think he's working for the Russian KGB."

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know, as good a guess as any?"

"Well, I can't really say you're wrong about that." Madarao sighed then yawned. "I'm so tired from that experience. I want to hear more but I'm afraid that I'm going to fall asleep any minute."

"Go get some sleep Madarao, you need it."

"Toshimuri?" Madarao said suddenly

There was a quiet squeak then a young boy walked into the room with his head hung down. "Sorry Madarao, but I heard you talking and …"

"It's okay, how much did you hear?" Nanalee spoke.

"Um, I heard about Kancan. But that's it, I promise." Toshi drew a circle on the ground with his big toe.

"It's okay, really. You didn't do anything wrong." Nanalee could tell that Toshimuri didn't feel like it was okay. He was a child after all.

"Nanalee, this is Toshimuri, Yoshi's little brother." He turned, "And Toshi, this is Nanalee, she a very good friend of mine. Could you take her to a free bed?"

"The guest's room is this way. Would you follow me?" Toshi asked, very polite, unlike his brother that's for sure.

"Sure, goodnight Madarao." Madarao yawned in response and they went separate ways in the hall. Toshimuri led her down the hallway until they reached a set of doors, three on the left, three on the right. He opened the door to the first room on the left.

"Here, this room is rarely used, but Dad cleans it everyday so don't worry about dust or anything."  
"Thank you Toshimuri." Toshi left Nanalee and went to the next door over.

"Oh, do you need anything miss?'

"No that's fine." He went into his room and Nanalee opened the door to hers. A mat lay on the floor in the middle of the room; a comfortable looking pillow and a blanket were neatly placed onto it. She almost didn't want to disturb it.

But, she was exhausted. She rolled onto the mat, spread the blanket over her and laid her head down. She fell asleep instantly.

The sun was shining on the lake, its reflection although less intense than the sun's rays, still made Nanalee squint. Trees surrounded this lake and the only path that led here was almost gone. She sat there beside Kouya and Ginro, both of them stretching and not doing anything inparticular. She stood and walked over to the water's edge. The words, _"It's all her fault, Amaterasu!"_ Echoed throughout the clearing, however only Nanalee seem to hear it, but she didn't take notice as she went to the lake. She looked at her reflection and saw Amaterasu instead of herself.

Then the sun seemed to disappear and was replaced by a red moon. She looked up to see the Ayakashi that was kept dormant within her. "What do you plan to do about this?" It asked in it's demon voice.

"Shut up. I don't care what you have to say." Ginro and Kouya were no longer behind her.

"They're gone. Madarao won't even let you call him Ginro, his real name. Your friends don't exist anymore."

"I met them, I saw them. They're okay. Your words are nothing but lies. You're not convincing me today either."

"Please! Look at yourself. You've been beaten. Your friends don't care, Madarao is some sort of twisted pet and Kouya is dead. You helped kill him. You put an end to your own friend." Her voice changed to Nanalee's. "How could you do that to your best friend!"

"SHUT UP!" She threw whatever she got her hand on first. A rock. But she was in the middle of the lake now, she looked down and saw that her reflection was the demon and the demon was in her body.

The demon still had Nanalee's voice. She held her sword at her. "Hypocrite! You're the demon!"

She fell to her knees and wept.

"Hey, you done bossing girls around?" A teenager stood outside a door to the night troops Chief's room, leaning on a post. His brown hair blew softly through the pleasant breeze. Two minutes earlier a girl, he didn't catch her name, stormed out with a bottle clutched in her fist. The Chief was silent. "Sorry, I know that you need people like her now, but you were being kind of cruel."

"It's how you communicate with people like that Itsumo. By the way, I'm glad you stopped by. I have word that something is going on at Karasumori."

As if summoned a man turned the corner and bent on one knee in front of the open door. "The preparations are complete." He said. Itsumo followed the Chief for a while in silence. They went into a room and the Chief put gear on. His robe was fashioned with the Houin mark on the back and the colors, black and purple, matched the Kekkiashi uniforms of the Sumimuras.

The teenaged boy was dressed in light silver armor; he hated wearing helms so he left that on the floor. It blocked his vision anyway. He held an object wrapped in cloth. It was an odd shape. Almost like a diamond.

"Has there been a report?" The Chief said, not looking up from tying his sandals.

There were two men in this room, both from the Operations Squad of the Night Troops. One spoke, Itsumo thought his name was Hakudou. "Yes, it seems there is an organized group of people who are targeting Karasumori. I am currently investigating the situation. There is no need for you to go all the way there." The Chief didn't seem agitated, but he hesitated picking up the last of his outfit. "I'm very sorry. I've said too much." He said nothing to them.

"Masamuri." Itsumo said flatly. "I'm going with you."

"I don't have any problem with that, but what makes want to go?"

He looked down at his scar, the price of his contract. It ran down both arms and connected at the back. "The Scar burns. Amaterasu is telling me to go with you…"

"I can't really argue with a god now can I?" He kept walking. Itsumo followed him.

The sun was going down when she woke up. "Damn! How long have I been out!"

"Only about a day, don't worry." Yoshimuri open the door, dressed in his Kekkiashi uniform. "So, you scream in your sleep."

"I screamed? How loud was it?" She was blushing now. She realized the blanket was thrown in a wad on the opposite side of the room.

"Tokine heard it from the street when we were coming home from school. Don't worry though, we could only barely hear it."

She put knees to her chest and let her head sink, hiding her red face. "I'm such an idiot. I'm so embarrassed."

"Really, don't worry about it. No one ever comes down this street anyway, and according to Dad, you only screamed once or twice. Sounds like you were having a nightmare."

"Yeah, a nightmare …" Nanalee got up and stretched, her joints pooped and she cracked her neck. "Alright, you're about to head out to Karasumori right?"

"Uh … yea. Why?"

"I better get dressed then." Nanalee then pushed Yoshimuri to the door.

"Wha-?" Yoshimuri then got the door shut on him. "Hey, you're coming to Karasumori with us?"

Nanalee started digging her hand into her magic sack that somehow survived the transformation last night. She found her kimono with armor strapped to it; she put it on and realized it was too small. She was confused then remembered she made herself younger. She closed her eyes and grew until she fit in the armor. It turned dark outside and she opened the door, Yoshi still standing where she had pushed him.

"You realize I can't have you distracting Madarao and Hakubi."

"I'll try my best to not get in your way, but I also have my reasons for going to Karasumori. To my knowledge, there is no other place like Karasumori, and that's where Udo will show himself."

"Udo?"

"Sorry, I guess I haven't explained. But, there's no time now. It's dark already and we need to get to Karasumori."

"I guess I can't stop you. Hurry up then." Yoshi and Nanalee rushed to the door and were stopped momentarily by Shuji. They told him Nanalee was fine and he handed Yoshi a snack. "Thanks, Dad." And then they were off. Madarao hesitated then followed them.

"What are you doing?" He asked Nanalee.

"I was told you can't be distracted by your master. So you should keep your head on the job."

"Yoshi! You told Nanalee that?"

"Hey we have a job to do!" He yelled from the front. Yoshi wasn't surprised that Nanalee could keep pace with him so easily.

"I am not one to shirk my duties, unlike a certain fourteen year old."

"Shut up Madarao!"

"Anyway …" Nanalee intervened. "About Udo." Yoshi slowed so that he was beside her then kept pace, listening. "He is under a contract to Yami, the King of Ayakashi. Just like I am under contract from Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. He's trying to resurrect him so that he can rule the world, and I'm trying to stop him. Karasumori's power might be what he needs to fully awaken Yami."

"Well, I guess if this Udo is as powerful as you make him sound, then it might be a good idea to have a little extra power."

"Like I need your blessing." Yoshi shot a scowl.

"I guess you're right but you have to listen to what we say!"

"I understand Yoshi; I'm not going to act on my own if the situation doesn't call for it. Though I do trust us to act like a team when we need to."

"You gonna give Tokine the same speech?"

"I also trust that she's mature enough to figure all that out on her own." Yoshimuri jumped ahead, Madarao sighed and followed but Nanalee stayed behind them now, she thought that she had made Yoshi mad, but she had meant what she said. She wasn't rouge.

"Hey, Nanalee." Hakubi had greeted her with a smile as she and Yoshi entered. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better, thanks for your concern Hakubi." Nanalee stretched and opened her magic sack. She pulled out her Katana with it sheathed and strapped it to her left hip. It dangled as she walked.

"Tokine right? We were never properly introduced." She didn't shake her outstretched hand.

"S-Sorry." She stuttered. "After what happened last time I'm not so trustworthy of strangers." The "last time" She was speaking of is when Kasuga came and tried to take over Karasumori. She had made out to be there friend from the Shadow Organization. However, it turned out she was trying to make her demon Yoki stronger.

"But I'll give you a break since Madarao and Hakubi say you're okay." She finally said and took her hand and shook it.

"I can relate, trust me." She gave a slight smirk but sadness flashed across her face. "So, we just wait?"

"We just wait." Madarao confirmed.

"All right, I know you want to catch up Hakubi, but Yoshi has me grounded."

"Will you shut it! I just said I didn't want you hindering us!"

"I'm here to help you guys out, it's not like I'm purposely here to annoy you!"

"Yoshi, why are you being so pushy tonight? Did someone miss there afternoon nap." Madarao snickered and floated out of Yoshi's reach.

"Alright, alright. I'll stop bothering you guys." She said and walked up to the side of a school building and turned her head to see Tokine, Madarao and Hakubi chewing Yoshi out. She looked up the building. Each level had a balcony like window. She could easily climb to the top. She jumped up a story and grabbed the window. She continued this and made it atop the ten story building in less than a minute. She walked around the perimeter and saw nothing. She continued this and paced.

_What do you make of them?_ She thought in her mind.

_They're a bunch of children! How can they defend this place?_

_ More improbable things have happened._

_Such as?_

_ Don't call me out, such as a goddess hiring a dead human to kill another human instead of smiting him herself._

_ That's not improbable! It's poetic._

_ Think about it that way if you want._ Nanalee yawned, not because she was tired, she had slept the entire day, but because it was boring. She decided to go against Yoshimuri's wishes and talk to Hakubi. He and Madarao were her best friends after all.

She jumped over the fence that surrounded the roof, and grasped the ninth story window and let go. She kept grabbing ledges to safely drop to the ground. She looked to the left and all she saw was Yoshimuri and Madarao. To the right was nothing. She sighed and walked to Yoshimuri.

"It seems like nothing is going to appear tonight." Yoshi sighed.

"That's good." Madarao commented. "If you use me so hard every night I'm not going to last."

"Even a demon dog gets tired, eh?" Yoshimuri was playing around with a Kekkai, hitting it with a glowing rope. Nenshi, she realized.

"Hey guys, what are you doing?" Nanalee said when she was next to them.

"Ah, Nanalee." Madarao noticed her. It seemed like he didn't know she was there.

"Hey, look. My accuracy with the Nenshi is improving."

Madarao sighed and turned to Yoshi. "What are you talking about? Your opponents are Ayakashi that move around. That is still nowhere good enough." Yoshi ignored him and continued whipping the Kekkai that bounced around like a ball. Then he whipped it and the Nenshi and Kekkai combined.

"Eh! What's up with this?"

"What's the point of connecting the two? You're stupid aren't you?" Madarao moved as Yoshi started to swing the Kekkai around and around.

"Hey, get off!" He yelled as he swung.

"What the hell are you doing Yoshi! You're gonna hurt somebody!" Nanalee jumped back out of its path. As she had said it, the Nenshi broke in half and the Kekkai was sent flying into the woods, followed by Hakubi yelling in pain. "Yoshi!" Nanalee barked and ran toward where the noise came from.

Tokine was examining the bump on Hakubi's head when Nanalee came into the small clearing. "Get a hold of yourself Hakubi." Tokine said.

"Honey … I … Love you." He said then let go of a large breath and pretended to die.

"So dramatic…" Nanalee mumbled as Yoshi entered.

"Ah, my aim was too good." He said.

"Ha ha" Madarao snickered "What a scene."

"Hey! What are you doing to Hakubi?" Tokine asked as she dropped Hakubi on his head lump.

"No, no. It was just an accident." Yoshi twiddled his thumbs.

Tokine bent over and picked up the Nenshi-Kekkai. "What is this?"

"What's that? Um. An application of Kekkai?"

"You know, application is for people who've mastered the basics! You fail because you don't read the guidelines and just do as you please."

"Mastering the basics … It does help in becoming an expert to anything." Nanalee commented.

"Eh, who reads the manual?" Yoshi half-turned away from Tokine.

"Ha, it's just that you can't read them. A legitimate heir who can't read the Guides is just pathetic. The Sumimura household will die with your generation.

_Quite some characters eh Amaterasu._

_… Quite …_

"Man. There doesn't seem to be any action tonight."

"Pretty slow first night." Hakubi was floating beside her.

"Yeah… Hey guys. I guess I should tell you about Udo…" She trailed off.

Hakubi floated around beside Tokine and descended to the ground. "Amaterasu mentioned Udo …"

Madarao did the same, beside Yoshimuri. "He's under contract from Yami, right?"

"Yami?" Tokine gasped. "Isn't he the ancient king of the Ayakashi?" The five were sitting, Yoshi and Tokine sitting on one side with their Ayakashi partners, and Nanalee on the opposite side.

Yoshi was quiet; probably intent to listen because he had knew nothing about Yami. "That's who killed me 4oo years ago. Udo …"

Nanalee, Kouya, and Ginro were readying for their assault. "They said that multiple humans have been taken there, as well as livestock. For what, no one really knows." Nanalee explained. She was dressing in her armor, a kimono with a breastplate, armguards and shin guards. "You guys don't have a problem helping them out, do you?"

"We're keeping our promise." Kouya said at once.

"I … don't feel like I shouldn't …" Ginro admitted. "We're changing the world after all, right?"

Nanalee smiled and strapped her katana to the kimono's waist strap. Her face then hardened. "Let's go." Was all she said.

"Wait, we met Udo then?" Madarao interrupted. "We saved those humans and in the end they …"

"Ginro… Madarao, I'm sorry." Nanalee looked down.

"Please continue." Tokine said.

They reached the cave just before dawn. "They should be weakened by the sun, but the same goes for us." Ginro stated. "Are you sure you want to do this during the day?"

"We'll go in before the sun goes up so you guys can weaken them, then when the sun comes up; I can stave the rest of them off." Nanalee said flatly.

"Are you sure you should be putting yourself at risk like this?" Kouya looked at Nanalee. Ginro noticed but didn't say anything.

"I can't just cower behind the two of you, and besides, I'm not as weak as you think."

Kouya growled in frustration. "It's not that I think you're weak, it's just that you're more fragile than Ginro and I. More fragile than whatever is in that cave as well."

"I know you care Kouya, but I'm the one who accepted this mission. You two are the only ones who can back down. I cannot."

"I understand that it's your duty. So, just try not to get killed alright?" Kouya looked back at the cave. Nanalee stared at the eastward sky.

"Let's go before it gets too late, or too early? Whatever let's do it." Nanalee ran over to the mouth of the cave not making a sound. Ginro and Kouya followed her. She waved her hand and the two charged in growling and snarling. She waited two minutes, the sound of battle was harsh but the cries weren't coming from Kouya or Ginro. Then she went in, the sun just starting to peak over the horizon. They had cut it way to close, a two-minute head start.

She drew her katana and stabbed one demon in the neck. It was a giant humanoid creature, almost like an ogre. Its skin was red and it had one eye. It wore a tattered loincloth, and its hair was messy and swung threw the air as it thrashed. The other demons looked like clones of the one she had taken down. She saw Ginro and Kouya struggling now, the sun had come up and although they were still more powerful than the demons, there were more demons than the two wolfs.

She charged at the ones that were in her way, slicing wrists and stomachs open. She met the crowd that threatened Ginro and Kouya and she jumped on the tallest one, stabbed her katana through the neck, and sliced to the right, almost decapitating it. Ginro took this chance to run through the opening made by Nanalee, his tails thrashing and spewing poison as he ran. Kouya jumped to the right, the demon closest to the wall had his throat ripped out a moment later. The two Ginro was able to poison started to slow now, in obvious pain as their insides felt like they were set on fire.

Kouya and Ginro busted down a large stone door to find two different looking demons. One was green; it was a snake like thing with arms and legs. The other, was tall, tentacles for arms and the feet were chicken legs. It also had a beak. Its feathers, fur, or whatever were blue. The walls were lined with chained up humans whom didn't dare say a word. A small human was backed up against the wall, supposedly trying to get away from the demons. The snake's tongue flailed out and struck Kouya before he could dodge it, paralyzing him.

"Kouya!" Ginro yelped, the big bird thing was lumbering toward them. He bit down on Kouya's tail, drawing blood, and threw him from the room as he danced around avoiding the tongue and the bird thing's strikes.

Nanalee rushed up to Kouya, he was growling, trying to move his muscles but to no avail, his tail was bleeding but Nanalee was unsure why. She then saw Ginro be thrown from the room. He wailed as he was thrown to the floor. Nanalee ran for the door and jumped atop the birdman. She dug her katana deep into his chest and ripped to the left. He fell as the snake Ayakashi screeched and shot her tongue at her. She dodged to the left and stabbed the katana threw the tongue and stuck it into the bird demon's leg, into the bone.

She then unsheathed a kunai she had kept hidden and rushed toward it and stabbed it through the mouth and ripped until the top part of its head came apart. It fell to the floor dead as Ginro entered the room. The humans gasped as she went up to the Ayakashi and asked, "Are you hurt? You look bad."

"It's … nothing." Ginro winced as he shifted his weight.

"You leg is broken. And what's wrong with Kouya?" Nanalee took Ginro's front left leg into her hands, examining it.

"He got paralyzed by that snake Ayakashi." He looked at its body. "Well …"

"How long will it be before he can move again?" She went over to her katana after giving Ginro his leg back. She sheathed it and began freeing the humans. The boy that was against the wall was crying softly. This experience probably scarred him for life.

"Not long, maybe a couple more minutes." Ginro turned, "I'll go sit with him until he can move again, in case one was hiding during the battle."

"Good idea." She let the third human down and those three began freeing others.

"So those Ayakashi aren't going to eat us are they?" One man asked shakily.

"No, they're not like other Ayakashi." Nanalee reassured.

She saw that two of the women were comforting the little boy.

Kouya walked in. "Are we ready to go?" He asked flatly.

"The village is quite a bit away, we need to leave now while it's still bright outside so that we're not attacked by any Ayakashi. Ginro's leg looks pretty bad. Did you see it?

"Yeah, it's fractured. Maybe not broken, but he can't fight on it. I'm all right though, so if we see any roaming Ayakashi I can fight them off.

The three took the villagers all the way to the village. The little kid was crying the entire way.

"Later, I learned that the little kid was Udo." Nanalee finished.

"But, hold on." Madarao said. "The guy who killed you looked about your age, how can that little kid grow like that in a couple of months?"

"He made the contract with Yami after that. He offered Udo years of training, and that's how he got to be so old." Nanalee explained.

"But why would he want to kill you? You saved him from those Ayakashi, right?" Hakubi said.

"Those Ayakashi, the weird ones that were different from the rest …" She trailed off as everyone seemed to lean a little closer to Nanalee. "… raised Udo from a small child." Everyone shot back in surprise.

"You mean, they were like his parents?" Madarao finally said.

"Udo was like us, Madarao." Nanalee looked down. "Udo was living in harmony with Ayakashi. They weren't doing anything bad to the humans, just like us they would roam around, killing deer and the feeding cooked meat to Udo. Amaterasu told me that."

Madarao looked down. "All those years, I just assumed that he killed you for violating some taboo. But it was really revenge."

"So …" Yoshi said. "If I understand what you just said, then you were killed by this person because of revenge. But, why are you still here then?" The dogs looked at Yoshi, but Tokine understood his comment. "Well, even if you did it unknowingly his cause seemed just. But Amaterasu still took pity on you? Why?"

"It's because of Yami's contract right?" Madarao said. "It said that he must kill the maiden that would join the races to fight against him."

"Yes. In Yami's contract, it said that he had to kill me, because he had the same power of sight as Amaterasu. It's why she didn't get involved before he killed me. Before, Yami would have resurrected because of the power he had preserved for a millennia, but if I lived then my destiny would have been to unite the races of Humans and Ayakashi to fight against his resurrection. Then humans and Ayakashi would eventually grow to be enemies again after I died of old age… But he wouldn't be able to resurrect himself again because he was defeated by those who don't reside in his realm."

"So you're destiny was to defeat the ancient king of Ayakashi, but he changed it?" Tokine questioned.

"We think destiny can't be altered, but it always keeps changing just like the future. It's not certain and Yami changed my destiny of defeating him. However, unknowingly by changing my future, he also changed his. He made it to where even if he got enough power to resurrect himself, he could not do it without a vessel to channel the power willingly. But the vessel, in this case being Udo, has to have enough power to live through the process."

"And that's why he needs Karasumori?" Yoshi stood up. "…To absorb enough power to bring him back? Why didn't he come sooner?"

"Because Karasumori has its own will. Karasumori doesn't want Yami to come back as much as any Ayakashi."

"So, what's changed?"

"I don't know. Maybe Udo has found a loop hole or something."

"Something has definitely changed." A voice came from the trees. Nanalee recognized this voice.

"Who's there!" Yoshi yelled. A man dropped from the trees. He had on sunglasses and a suit. He pressed the sunglasses back to his face. His black hair was straight and dangled all around his head.

"Madarao's proud nose eh? He couldn't smell me if I was spying on him from a tree."

Madarao's mouth fell agape, so did Hakubi's. "You don't have a scent!" Madarao yelled.

"Kaldasha, do you work for the Russian KGB?" Nanalee looked back at him, still sitting.

"Sorry, wrong again." He answered smoothly.

"How come we didn't sense you come into the site!" Yoshi yelled.

"Because I'm not an idiot. You see there's-

"Don't change the subject, who are you?" Tokine interjected.

"Jeez, calm down, very edgy." He straightened. "My name is Kaldasha, and I'm here to help." He smiled as he flipped a business card at Tokine from nowhere. "Here's my card.

She read the card aloud. "Kaldasha Ruiz. 555-3453? What's this?"

"My number cutie…" He smiled as he jumped back into the trees. Tokine looked up with her mouth open.

"That's Kaldasha?" Madarao blurted.

Nanalee nodded. "Nope, he doesn't work for the Russian KGB apparently. Ah well, there's always tomorrow."

"You're friend is very … strange." Tokine said.

"Yeah, he's weird, but don't worry he's gone now."

"He said something had definitely changed. Do you know what he meant?" Yoshi said.

"No idea. But with him, no one really knows." She shrugged. She glanced at Hakubi, he was staring at her. "Umm, something wrong?"

Hakubi suddenly shook his head. "Sorry, I was lost in memories."

She smiled. "What memories?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

"HAKUBI!" Nanalee yelled. The dog had decided to act mischievous again. He was running through stalls making chickens jump and surprised women by going underneath their kimonos. "Stop you idiot mutt!" Where was a Kekkiashi when you needed one? Master Tokimuri wasn't going to be back from that cave for a while.

_He he he… _The dog thought. _This is so fun. _He barked in joy as he caused complete chaos in the village.

"HAKUBI! When I catch you, you're dead! GOT IT!" Nanalee roared as she sped faster.

He giggled. "It's nothing at all."

"You're a piece of work ya know." Tokine said. "C'mon, the sun's coming up in about an hour."

"What? I'm still wide awake. What am I suppose to do until night?" Nanalee pouted.

"I don't know…" Yoshi yawned. "But it's time to go. Some of the teachers get here pretty early." The four started walking away and Nanalee followed with her head hung down.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I've run into a bit of a rut with Ace the hedgehog so I'm focusing more on this fanfic, since I really have been busy this path month, I've finally found some time to write… even if it is at 10:30 at night.

Oh well, 10:30's not all that late, and I usually don't get cranky when I lose sleep. However I see this chapter being shorter, my attention span is kind of shot at the moment…

KEKKIASHI:

THE GODDESS BOUND GIRL

CHAPTER 3

_I'm so bored! Talk to me Amaterasu!_ Nanalee screamed in her head.

_I'm not sharing my spirit with you just to keep you amused._ Amaterasu replied coldly. _I have an entire world to watch over, I can't constantly be making you happy._

Nanalee sighed. Then there was a huge crash, "You foolish boy! Let down this Kekkai!" Yelled the old guy, Shige Yoshi said his name was.

"Can it you old man! I'm tired!" Yoshi yelled.

"It's already eight o'clock! You should be training right now!"

"I was going to train later! When I actually have the energy!"

"You fool, I know there wasn't any Ayakashi there last night! I was a legitimate heir too, you know!"

"Back off! Fine, how about I start training on you!" Several more crashes erupted from across the hall. Nanalee decided that everyone was up and breakfast was about ready… She reached into her magical sack of goodies and pulled out casual clothes, a black shirt with charcoal skinny jeans and some undergarments then realized she didn't know where the washroom was. She laid he clothes neatly folded on the floor next to the door. Yoshimuri had apparently forgotten that last night was Friday night, so they didn't have school today. Which means there was not going to be any teachers there that early in the morning.

She exited the room and explored the house a little until she found the kitchen she was in … two nights ago? She really didn't remember. There she found a buffet, how could she not have smelled this food? It looked delicious! Shuji was just bringing in some candied rice balls when he noticed her. "Hello Nanalee! Did you sleep well?" More explosions came from the house.

"Not a wink, maybe I can go to sleep after lunch. By the way, where can I take a shower if you don't mind?" She smiled, but she probably knew why she couldn't smell the food now. She hadn't been able to partake in the new craze of hygiene in the last few days. Staying under the radar has that effect.

"Oh, I'll show you, it's down the hall and to the right of the rooms…" He continued giving directions as he walked through the passages of the large house, more like an estate. The explosion grew louder and Nanalee had to stop Shuji before he ran face first into a Kekkai.

"Uh, guys?" The two kept fighting. _Screw this_ she thought to herself and slashed her fingers over the Kekkai, splitting it in two with the brush strike technique. The two stopped, stepped outside and marveled.

"You know the sacred brush techniques!" Exclaimed Shige.

"You cut through my Kekkai?" Yoshimuri whined.

"You are a disciple of Amaterasu! It is such an honor to have you in our household." He bowed, she was much older than he was, but she didn't like being treated like an old woman. "Excuse me for asking this of our guest, but how old might you be?"

She stepped back and hoped that this cloud of obnoxious covered her BO, "I'm almost four hundred and thirty… I lost count…" Her lips curved downward she didn't even know how old she was, and she was that old!

"I'm sorry; you seem saddened by the question."

Nanalee was about to lose it, _I need a shower! Let me have just one shower! Showers are so amazing! There's your hot water and the steam that opens the nostrils and then the heavenly aromas of the bath soaps and the shampoo! Oh the shampoo!_

"I think she's lost to us now…" Yoshi remarked but it popped her out of her thoughts.

"If you really must know, you shouldn't bow to someone so unclean so please let me take a shower and then you can bow to me all you want…" _I won't care as long as I can smell like girl I am, damn it!_

"I'm sorry for the interruption, I take it Shuji is taking you to our washroom?"

"Yes father, I was on my way, but Nanalee stopped me before I walked into Yoshi Kekkai…"

"Please, continue." Shige hesitated in bowing.

"Right, let me just grab my clothes…" She opened the door, walked in shortly forgetting about the clothes, and only focused on getting out of the hallway. However, when she laid the clothes next to the door her undergarments had slid off and onto the floor in front of the door. She put her feet in one of the leg holes and tripped…

She fell face first into the floor, over her own panties. The force knocked the breath out of her and the fall carried her robe that Mrs. Shizue gave her upwards, since it didn't quite fit anymore. So it rose up to see the old panties she had been wearing, they were starting to fade…

Her mouth hung open as her face turned red at the sudden breeze on her but. She scrambled over, slid the door shut, with all her strength, and lay sat against it. She would have laughed if it hadn't happened to her, but it did and that made her face light up brighter than a stoplight.

"Yoshimuri! How dare you look up her skirt as she fell!" Shige yelled.

"WHAT! I had my eyes closed after the um…" Yoshimuri paused, "You were the one looking you pervert!"

"How do you know I was looking if you had your eyes closed!"

"Hush you two! You're embarrassing her!" Shuji said. "I'm sorry Nanalee, would you like me to take you to the shower room now?" Nanalee scowled, her face was red with anger now. She took her clothes and opened the door to see Toshi standing amongst the crowd, apparently unaware of what happened.

"Hey, are you guys fighting again?" Toshi said sleepily, he had a glass of water in his hand and a grin snaked across Nanalee's face.

"Hey Toshi!" She said, "You wanna see something really cool?" He nodded; apparently, he slept through the entire ordeal. She put down her clothes on the floor. "Can I see your water?" He obediently gave it to her and she looked to Shige and Yoshi with a scowl and drew a symbol. Trees grew behind them and she started drawing symbols quickly. The water sprang from the cup and started whipping the two on the crown of their heads multiple times.

"OW! Hey what did I do?" Yoshi yelled. Shige just yelped through the ordeal. She returned the water to the cup and the drawn trees exploded into autumn leaves and disappeared, allowing the two to escape.

"WOW! That was really cool!" She gave the cup back to him and he looked at it wondrously.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you…" She then picked up her clothes then preceded with the giggling Shuji to the washroom, where she had the most splendid shower she thought she had in ages. The bath soaps and the shampoos were as good smelling and pleasant as she had hoped and the warm water never seemed to cease! She took a twenty-minute shower it was so relaxing!

After she got out, she tried to make her way back to her room to dispense the dirty clothes. She wasn't sure where she was so she jumped out the window and around to the front door. When Shuji answered, all she said was, "I got lost so I thought I'd just start over…" Shuji then gave a full tour of the house, so she wouldn't get lost again. However, he offered to guide her through the house if she ever got lost again.

She dispensed her dirty clothes in the hamper as Shuji instructed, and began eating the leftovers; however, Shuji offered to make more, she declined. This food would go to waste if he made more. After that, she decided to go outside to walk around the house and get a feel for the place; it seemed as if everyone had accepted her into the household. She then stopped and looked to her left as she entered the front yard. Shige and Shuji were talking about something and she saw the granny she saw two nights ago. She was clipping the branches from a tree atop the wall with some rather large hedge clippers.

"You old hag! What are you doing to the Sumimura trees?" His veins poked from his neck.

"Oh, me? I'm just cutting the branches that are dirtying my yard." She responded innocently, however she was clearly mocking him.

"You crossed the line! I'll show you what I'm made of today!" Shige yelled as he jumped atop the wall.

"Ooh, I guess I'll chop you down instead!" She snapped her hedge clippers anxiously.

_That's weird. Do they really need to be up there fighting like that? Aren't they to old for this sort of thing?_ Nanalee thought to herself. She looked away, turned toward Madarao's doghouse, and smiled. _You and Kouya use to fight like that all the time… _A tear fell from her eye. She had not noticed until she reached up to scratch her face. She quickly wiped the tear away and continued.

She ventured inside the home and found Toshi finishing what looked like homework in his room. She turned to go into her room and found Shuji dusting and accidentally knocked over a picture.

"Oh, hey Shuji." Nanalee said quietly.

"Hello Nanalee, are you familiar with the house now?" He asked as he pickled up the picture. Nanalee noticed that Yoshi and Toshi were in the picture but a glare from the window blocked the face of a third figure. She assumed it was Shuji.

"Yes, your house is very nice. It's an honor to be allowed to stay." She bowed. Toshi walked in as she straightened.

"I finished my homework; may I have a snack now?" He asked. "Oh, miss. I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

"It's alright…" Nanalee responded.

"Sure, we can all have something to eat…" He smiled at the two.

They led her to the kitchen where that had a small meal of tea and rice. It felt so nice to be in a home again. She hadn't experienced living with a family for some time, fifty years if Nanalee remembered correctly.

Then Shige rushed through the home. Nanalee looked toward him questionable as he dashed past the opening. "Hey, Shuji?"

"Hmm." He looked up from his meal.

"How come Shige is so … athletic?"

"He never stopped training after mom took over as legitimate heir." Toshi responded. He had finished his snack and was reading a book, a manga by the look of it.

Before Nanalee could say anything, Shige yelled, "SHIGEMORI SMASH!" And a loud smacking sound came from the rooms. At least she thought it came from that direction.

"HEY! What's with the smacking! STOP!" Yoshimuri screeched.

"No dinner for you! Go train in the dojo!" Shige retorted.

"Is it always like this?" Nanalee blurted.

"Yes, I guess you could say we've gotten use to it." Shuji answered.

"So I take it Mrs. … uh"

"Oh her name is Tokiko Yukimura, she's Tokine's grandmother.

"So she's a Kekkiashi too" Shuji nodded, "And she never stopped after her daughter…?"

"Son."

"Son took over either right?"

"She would never let Shige outshine her or something like that."

"So Tokine's grandmother lives beside you guys?"

"Tokine lives next door actually."

"She does?" He nodded. _Hmm… I wonder what kind of person Tokine is… we haven't talked much, neither have me and Yoshi for that matter. In fact I'm almost positive that me and Shuji have spent more time together than I have with Yoshi outside the school…_

The rest of the day went by so slow, she had gotten about three hours of sleep but she knew she couldn't be lazy. At dinnertime, she was up and ate a dinner of rice and soy sauce with a very spicy but very tasty dipping sauce with tea and a salad. It was like eating gourmet! She couldn't help but complement Shuji all night.

"Really…" Shige began. "That ungrateful little…"

"I'm sure Yoshimuri didn't mean any harm father…"

"He was drooling all over the guide scrolls passed down through the family. And to top it off he was drooling on the book of secrets that only legitimate heirs are supposed to read!" He calmed down a little, Nanalee listened in, intrigued, she was still stuffing her face however. She sat beside Toshi on the opposite side of where Yoshi usually sits. "Why is he so sneaky? He doesn't have to be." He took a bite of rice without dipping it. "I would show him the scrolls if he just asked. They're going to be his someday anyway, if he wants to know something all he has to do is ask me. I don't have a problem explaining things to him." He slurped something, she wasn't sure what, but it might've been the dipping sauce.

"I guess I see your point." Shuji remarked.

"Thank you dad." Toshimuri suddenly said and stood to leave.

"Wait, you're done already? Did you get enough to eat?" Shuji pressed.

"It's okay, I'm already full."

Shuji waved his hand to come closer. "Hey can you do me a favor?"

Nanalee realized they were talking about getting food to Yoshimuri; they had to get it past gramps. This was a good time to bring up what she had to tell the head of the house. The head Kekkiashi.

"Excuse me father, but could you-" Nanalee interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, but could I borrow Shige for a few minutes? It's important." Her face grew serious. It automatically alerted Shige.

"Can it wait Shuji?" He nodded and walked away. It was silent for a moment. "So there's something that I've been waiting to ask you since you showed up at Karasumori. I don't know your story and to be blunt I would like to know before you continue to live in this house."

"I understand. However, my story affects Karasumori, so both heads of the families needs to be present. You don't mind holding an audience with Tokiko here." It wasn't a question.

He clenched his jaw and she wondered just how much he disliked her. "No I do not. But it had better be a swift explanation." He pulled a piece of paper with a Houin mark on it and threw toward the door that led to the hall. It turned into a bird and shot towards the door. "A Shikigami. It will alert Tokiko. And maybe she'll show up.

The two followed the Shikigami to the door and let it out. And soon Tokiko jumped atop the wall and called to them. "What sort of trick is this Shige; urgent news about Karasumori?"

The Shikigami flew from behind her and went back to Shige, turning into a piece of paper again and landing in his palm. "Ma'am, Tokiko, I need you to hear this too. There is trouble coming to Karasumori." She was silent. Tokiko and Shige exchanged glares and she went in, the three then guided themselves to the dinner table.

"Now what is it that is going to trouble Karasumori?" Tokiko asked.

"First I want to hear how she got here. Aren't you curious as to how she showed up?" Shige glared.

"They're related." The two quieted. "400 years ago, I knew Master Hazuma Tokimuri, Ginr- Madarao, Hakubi and Kouya. We were friends, at least, they were all my friends. To the point, I died by the hand of a boy named Udo…" She told the tale that she told Tokine, Yoshi, and the others. She told about the cave and the two Ayakashi and the walk on the way back. Then …

It was Stonehenge this time, of course, somewhere flashy. It turned out not to be a Draw Point like Udo had originally thought. It's just a bunch of rocks. Lightning rained down in this alternate time-space, as she was familiar with entering for it enveloped the entire area of wherever Udo decided to try resurrecting Yami. He came dangerously close to doing so as well. Udo was ranting his usually things to Nanalee and Itsumo. Kancan was there too, smiling her innocent smile, staring at Itsumo. And a newcomer, Nanalee didn't know his name; however he had an evil aura about him, as if he just belonged there, alongside Udo trying to resurrect the demon king.

Nothing happened. Udo cursed the heavens as Nanalee and Itsumo defeated Kancan and the new guy. "This is no Sephiroth… well, then I guess it's time to go home, isn't it Nanalee? Start-over." Udo said, his voice was so calm and deep, yet she had associated the voice with evil now, so it did not have the alluring charm it would have on other women.

"Start-over huh? Then we could stop this… We don't have to keep fighting this endless battle." Nanalee retorted, heaving as she examined her wounds. Itsumo kept a trained eye on every one of Udo's movements.

"We may not have known it, but your friend Tokimuri was at work when you turned up dead, or disappeared, rather." Udo went on.

"What are you talking about?"

"Karasumori. There we shall determine the outcome. I am indeed tired of this endless battle, and now is the perfect time." Nanalee looked confused. "Make your way to back to Japan, back to your old village and go to Karasumori. Amaterasu keeps her sight hidden because the future hurts you; however I still have that advantage."

"I trust Amaterasu, I don't trust you!"

"Don't you want a chance, to look for your friends?" Her face changed. "I thought so. Let's leave!" He turned to his left to find the new guy came into view, just a couple of seconds ago he was laying on the ground beside her, she knew it. Kancan got up and back flipped to the other two. "Another day, Amaterasu." The new member of their alliance held out his hand, a portal of black appeared, and the three walked into it, Kancan waving good-bye to the two.

The two took a minute to examine the story. "It's amazing, such convenience that you know Hakubi and Madarao." Shige admitted.

"So, this man who's trying to bring back the ancient king, he is going to take in the power of Karasumori. How can he? Karasumori doesn't just give out power; it has a will of its own." Tokiko stated, still wrapping her head around the possibility that Nanalee had … laid with an Ayakashi.

"I don't know, Kaldasha appeared at Karasumori yesterday, He's someone I have met on my travels, he said something had changed but he didn't stay long enough to explain. But he did stay long enough to give Tokine …!" She had a revelation. "Wait, he gave Tokine his phone number! We can call him and see if he really knows anything!"

"He gave my granddaughter his … phone number!" Tokiko exclaimed. "Should have known your friends would have that on their minds …"

"What did you say ma'am?" Nanalee honestly did not hear what she mumbled.

"Nothing important dear." She laughed awkwardly alone then she decided it was time to leave.

"May I can come to your house and get the number from Tokine?"

"Yes, follow me, we must be quick." The two headed out the door and into the front yard and jumped over the wall. Shige followed but wouldn't be let into the house.

"Girls only you old fool." She shut the door.

"YOU HAG!" he roared then hmphed.

"She should be in her room. Tokine!" She called as Nanalee waited at the front door, she saw three set of shoes, including Tokiko's, in the corner and nothing really different from the Sumimura household. The hallways even looked similar from there. Tokine came out and handed Nanalee the card, all crumbled and looked like it had been fished from a garbage can.

"Here, take it." Tokine said icily.

_Geez, what's your problem?_ She thought to herself . She then thanked Tokine for the number and rushed back outside and jumped over the fence with Shigemori. They rushed to the phone and punched in the number."5-5-5. 3-4-5-3. There, it's ringing!" She spouted.

"Hit speaker!" Shige exclaimed.

The phone rang through the house and it picked-up. "Hello and thanks for calling." Came Kaldasha's voice.

"Kaldasha! I-"

"Sorry, but this number is fake and you're quite stupid for trying to call it." It was a recording and the line went dead.

"Damnit Kaldasha!" She slammed her finger down on the button. "Bastard…" She cursed. Yoshimuri then walked up behind her.

"Hey, are you coming or what?" He asked. She turned and he was already in his Kekkiashi uniform.

She grunted. "Go ahead, I'll catch up." She turned and ran to her room without hearing from Yoshi and quickly donned her gear. She took her katana and strapped it to her left hip before leaving this time. She quickly ran through the house and wound up lost again, so she jumped out a window and went around.

She quickly made her way to the school and heard Hakubi and Madarao yelping as she came closer to the school. "Are they in trouble!" She instantly grew worried and made her way faster.

When she got there the Kekkiashi looked annoyed and the dogs were on the ground holding their paws over their noses. "What's going on? Are they hurt?" Nanalee asked, concerned.

"You guys can handle tonight's Ayakashi by yourself can't you?" Madarao wined. "I can't take it! Oohh!"

"I can't do it honey, it's just so terrible!" Hakubi added. They were both complaining… Nanalee was not in the mood.

"Are you seriously telling me that your wailing in agony because something smells!" Nanalee yelled.

"Your noses can't pick it up, but it smells so bad! You can't believe it!" Madarao continued.

"That's right! I can't believe it!" Nanalee retorted.

"Get up and do your job!" Yoshi picked Madarao up by the collar, the stench was so bad apparently it was making their eyes water.

"You terrible, evil monsters!" Madarao continued.

"Shut the hell up and find it, then I'll take care of it when you do!" He threw Madarao and he floated away whimpering.

"Hey Hakubi, you have to look for it too…" Tokine said.

"It's too heavy for me, honey. I can't go out there." Hakubi was starting to get annoying. Nanalee could not sense Ayakashi if she was so close to the Kekkiashi so they were they're only hope, unless they had to play it on chance.

"Hakubi if we don't hurry Yoshimuri's gonna get the jump on us."

"Honey if I may, why not let them find the stinky Ayakashi. We're to cool to waste our time hunting around for that thing."

"I cannot believe you just said that. A Kekkiashi can't let an Ayakashi run loose."

"Oh honey, you're so hardworking you know?"

"I can't stand this anymore." Nanalee ran past Hakubi and scaled the building swiftly. She searched the forest for any Ayakashi that could be using this scent as a masking tool to throw off the dogs. It was working quite effectively too. Nanalee even caught a whiff of it, it must have been driving the demon inside crazy because her left arm burned. It's where the Ayakashi had entered her body at so if it was irritated by something, Nanalee's left arm burned.

She spotted something, running along the forest line. She jumped toward it with her sword drawn, but it was only Yoshimuri so, she crashed and rolled into the trees right in front of him. She got up and shot a glare at Yoshimuri, "What?" He asked.

"You shouldn't be running wildly through the woods Yoshi, I had mistaken you for the Ayakashi."

"Was that an insult?"

"Sorry if you took it that way."

"You two stop it!" Madarao called. Then he shivered. "Wait! Yoshimuri! Over there! THERE!" Yoshi ran to where Madarao was. "OH! Hurry! Hurry hurry hurry!" he whimpered.

"Don't worry I got it." It looked like a spider creature. It had six legs and two front blades it seemed. It just sat there. He held his fingers in the air. "Houi! Jouso! Ketsu! Metsu!" The barrier formed and exploded, but the spider creature did not explode with it.

"Okay …Well that didn't work!" Madarao exclaimed.

"I'll try again…" He did try again, only this time it fell from building instead of vanishing into dust.

"What the hell's up with that thing?" Nanalee questioned. They ran over to where it fell, it's body was still intact, but it didn't seem to move. And it really did smell. "UGH! It smells like it's already dead!" She winced but continued. Tokine and Hakubi had found them and followed.

"Man I gave this thing a double dose and it still doesn't have a scratch on it." Yoshi said.

Tokine walked over and poked it. It sent a dull sound through the area. "This thing's hallow!" Nanalee spoke.

'It's just a shell…" Tokine stepped away. The dogs behind them where whimpering softly.

"What do you mean? You saying that this Ayakashi can shed it's skin?"

Nanalee walked forward and attempted to stab it with her sword, but it didn't even pierce the top layer. "If this things the shell, then the real thing must be harder than anything I've ever cut through. If Intervention can't pierce it, we're gonna have a rough time." She looked at the two. "Then again I haven't seen a good Kekkai up close in so long, maybe you guys can do it."

"Let's see." Yoshi stepped back as well as everyone else. He started forming Kekkai around the skin. "It doesn't matter how hard." One Kekkai exploded, "I'll just cast Metsu on it…" Two Kekkai, "As many times…" Three… "As I have too!" two more exploded before it broke down. "Looks like five's the magic number." Yoshi finally said.

"It took five hits… that's a big problem…" Tokine mumbled to herself, then her voice got louder. "If it absorbs anymore of Karasumori's power the shell could get even harder."

"All right then." Nanalee saw him stand. "Madarao, get to work!" Madarao yelped. "It's your job remember!"

"You're so mean…" He floated away exaggerating.

"Wait! We need to think of a plan!" Tokine called. She sighed, at least we have Nanalee, she technically our elder right?"

"We can come up with a good plan I suppose, but how is Madarao and Hakubi gonna… Hakubi, are you even listening?" Nanalee raised an eyebrow, so did Tokine.

"Of course. I was … listening…"

_Yoshi WAS right. Damnit…_

"So how are we going to find that thing if you two can't smell it." Tokine asked.

"I don't know, and searching blindly for it will just be a waste of time…"

"Yeah but you're eyes and ears still work." Hakubi moaned. "Let's get somewhere with a better view…" Nanalee hesitated, disturbed by some … energy. A bad feeling she dismissed.

They walked and Nanalee tried to reach out with her senses, but the Kekkiashi's powers blocked her "psychic" ability. Hakubi flew up to the corner of the roof and looked.

"See anything?" Tokine called.

"It stinks, it stinks so bad!"

"She didn't ask if you smelled anything!" Nanalee taunted. "What do you see?"

"I don't see anything suspicious." Then a wave of energy, unseen and seemingly unnoticed by Hakubi expanded in the area. Nanalee felt it first, felt the energy wash over her like a wave of water, it reminded her of her childhood for some reason, when her father took her to the bay to play in the ocean.

_What…?_ Nanalee thought.

_It's not the Ayakashi, it's coming from another source._ Amaterasu spoke in her mind.

_Can you tell me where it is?_

_ I cannot, but this isn't a normal Ayakashi if this wave is coming from it._

_ I'd say it isn't quite run of the mill due to the smell either._

_ There are stranger ones._

_ True._

She stopped being distracted, she knew Tokine somehow felt it as well. "What was that?"

"I don't know. It was like I was thrown into another world…" She shook her head. "Never mind that, let go, I think Hakubi might have spotted something."

They headed over to where Hakubi had showed them, quiet as possible. It was hiding in a corner. "Bingo." Hakubi whispered.

"Should you go, or should I?" Nanalee whispered. "It's your job, but I want to provide assistance if I can, rushing in without your permission would be … an annoyance."

"I think you should watch my back, in case that things another shell, a decoy." Tokine said.

Nanalee nodded, "Be careful then." Tokine jumped down and ran over to the side of the building, and as she did, the thing jumped silently and propelled off the building and into the trees. Tokine then rounded the corner.

_Tokine! _Nanalee screamed in her head and jumped straight from the tree to behind her as she puzzled where the Ayakashi was.

"Honey! Behind you!" Hakubi yelped as he flew out of the way, however Nanalee was there blocking a scythe with her sword. Tokine jumped to the side, instinctually.

"Are you the Kekkiashi that guards this land? You use a sword instead of Kekkai …" The demon asked in a strange voice.

"Sorry, you guessed wrong." Nanalee then shoved the scythe to the side and attempted to strike, but the sword glanced off the side of its hull. It came down with another scythe that she used the Brush Strike to deflect. She jumped quickly out of the way before it could retaliate.

"You may not be a Kekkiashi, but you're surely powerful." It said before sending another scythe toward Nanalee, which she dodged easily. The next attack was blocked by a blue Kekkai, then Yoshi appeared out of the trees.

"Hey, Stinky!" He called. "I've been looking for you!"

"Hmm, so you're the Kekkiashi, perhaps this shall be a better fight." He veered away from Nanalee and rushed to Yoshimuri.

"What? You're a fool for turning your back on me!" Nanalee assumed a different stance. _If I'm gonna pierce his shell, I need to heat it up a little._ Her sword then spewed forth flames and within no more than a second the sword was engulfed in an inferno. "Ready for this? Taiyō Furea!" She jumped into the air and spun, the flames seeming to make a circle around her, then she fell and slashed at the monster, the flames engulfing the entire mid-section. She jumped away as the flames grew and swallowed the Ayakashi. She then tried Brush Strike to sever the armored skin, however when the attack hit a dull clang radiated from the Ayakashi and the flames died a few seconds afterward.

"Hopefully the Kekkiashi will prove to be a much stronger opponent." He turned back to Yoshi. She couldn't even pierce it? Not even with Taiyō Furea, not her most powerful technique, but it had worked on most Ayakashi before. _Karasumori must be working in his favor, that should have allowed me to cut through the shell, maybe he needs to be hotter. _She thought then she stopped. _It's the Kekkiashi's place, I can't always be on the front lines._ She watched as Yoshi kept back-peddling away from the spider.

He cast Ketsu and formed a massive Kekkai but the spider just slashed through the front and the entire thing collapsed. Yoshi tried this once more, then kept jumping back, conserving his energy.

"Tokine! Yoshi's not gonna last long like this? Have any ideas?" Nanalee looked over.

"I don't know if any of my techniques will work, but I could try the one I've been training with, but …" She stopped for a moment. "I don't if I've mastered the technique yet though."

Nanalee frowned. "I guess we're about to find out…"

The two rushed after the Ayakashi. As Yoshi blocked an attack with a scythe with his weapon, the Ayakashi used it's second scythe to send it flying, then pinned Yoshi's hand to the wall. "Now what? Use you Kekkai on me. Try it and I'll cut your arm off." Yoshimuri stood there doing nothing. "What's the matter? Terrified beyond words?"

"No! You smell like a sewer!" Yoshimuri kicked the Ayakashi hard, right in the jaw, if it had one. He then grasped his foot and yelped. "Urgh! That felt like kicking a toilet!"

"You've got some fancy moves boy, I didn't know a Kekkiashi could fight like that." The Ayakashi stood firmly.

_He was … impressed?_ Nanalee thought.

"Tch." Yoshimuri started. "You think we've got rules for fighting Ayakashi?"

"Cocky brat, I was taking it easy on you before. Now watch this!" The Ayakashi then roared and started glowing, then it expanded to at least three times it's original size.

"Damnit! What now?" Nanalee took her stance along side the Kekkiashi. "Don't suppose you have any more idea's Yoshimuri, or was you just making it up as you went along?"

Yoshi was silent. "Oh." He finally spoke. "Tokine, I think I've got an idea, I'll keep this thing busy so you two can get away." He took off and dropped his backpack, and ran off.

"Yoshimuri!" Tokine called.

"That's your plan!" Nanalee added. He ran and cast Metsu on one of the legs, leaving it unharmed but clearly angered the thing.

"Hey you get back here!" Yelled the Ayakashi, apparently it wasn't to bright. Yoshimuri cast Ketsu to make walls, however the Ayakashi broke through them and kept its pace.

"He's breaking through my Kekkai so easily! Am I not focusing hard enough?" Yoshi yelled. He turned a corner, Nanalee running as fast as she could then she saw Yoshi cast Metsu on it once more, then she heard a squelching sound.

"Yoshi!" She yelled, but as she round the corner, she saw that he had made and elastic Kekkai.

"Stay back!" He yelled.

"Moron!" Nanalee yelled as Tokine rounded the corner with the dogs.

She ran in front of him as the Ayakashi said, "Didn't you realize I have another scythe!"

A new voice then called out, "Yōsai!" An aura surrounded a body that appeared next to Nanalee and took the scythe to the neck. However, he didn't falter. She knew the voice. She looked over and the scythe struck the neck but it couldn't pierce through the aura.

"What is…?" The Ayakashi seemed confused.

"Try again if you will, but my aura is much stronger than your own iron hide." His voice was smooth and deep, laced with years of influence and discipline. He wore light armor with no helm and short brown hair hung loosely to the bottom of his neck. On his back a cloth was wrapped around something, its contents took the shape off an oblong diamond. "Nanalee, could you not defeat this thing on your own?" He said.

"No, only Amaterasu could. She didn't take over this time." Nanalee sounded annoyed.

"Enough!" The Ayakashi raised its scythe again, but this time Nenshi shot out and ensnared the scythe. "Newcomers!" he spat then sliced the rope with the other scythe as the man dropped to ground level, he was apparently on the roof of the school. He wore a black robe and a long slender something wrapped in cloth on his back as well. "I don't understand, there was only supposed to be two! Instead, five have shown themselves."

"Well that's too bad for you." He took off the package on his back and set it aside.

"Ha, the same thing can be said for you! If you had stayed hidden I might have let you survive, but now it ends!"

"Metsu!" A Kekkai appeared then shattered as its scythe rose. The smoke cleared and on the scythe was a small crack. The monster looked at his scythe then back at the Kekkiashi. "You're pretty sturdy aren't you?" He looked at the other one, still wrapped in his aura, "You want to take a shot at it?"

"And break my sword? Forget it." He replied.

"Fine, then I'll take a more effective approach." He held up his fingers like Yoshi and Tokine.

"You! You think you're so tough because you cracked my scythe-" The monster was interrupted.

"Ketsu Metsu!" The man called and a strange Kekkai surrounded the scythe, then it exploded taking the scythe with it.

"Whoa! Cool." Nanalee looked with marvel then laughed. "400 and who knows how many years and I still get surprised? What a divine prank."

The Ayakashi looked at his missing appendage and seeming as if he was about to weep. "Impossible! How could this happen? My scythe is the hardest part of my body! How could you destroy it so easily?"

"I think I just found the perfect attack to use on you…" The man held out his fingers.

"uh-oh!"

"I guess that's it for you… Ketsu!" A strange Kekkai again enveloped his entire being.

"No! How can you do this!" The Ayakashi called form it's blue prison.

"Whoa! That's what it was!" Nanalee counted in her head. "Five Kekkai?"

"Masamori? Really if this is what you're impressed by than you're really not that creative." The young man said.

"Ahh! How could this have happened! Why wasn't I warned about you!" The Ayakashi cried.

"Warned?" Masamori questioned. "Warned by who?"

"I won't tell you. You can't make me!"

"I'm not surprised, and you shouldn't be either. I hope you came prepared for what's about to happen."

"Wait! Stop! Don't!"

"It's too late for that." The Kekkai exploded and he then picked up his cloth and slid it off to reveal a weapon much like Yoshimuri's. "Tenketsu!" Then the dust of the explosion was sucked into the circle on his weapon.

The dogs' sighs could be heard from across the distance. "I can finally breathe again!" One of them said. Nanalee shook her head.

Tokine ran up behind Masamori. "Masamori! It's been a long time!"

"It has, hasn't it?" He replied. "How have you been Tokine?"

"When did you get back Masa?" Hakubi asked.

"Oh, just now." Yoshimuri didn't looked to thrilled to see him.

Nanalee turned towards Itsumo who still had yet to move. "So, did you run into Kaldasha before coming here?"

"No, I've been with the Night troops for a while. Two weeks actually."

"What? How where you even here that long?" Nanalee protested.

"You're the only one who's immune to the Time-space thing that Udo does, it sent me to the Night troops base."

"You mean because of my little immunity I had to hitchhike across a fourth of the world for two weeks while you've been here all along?"

"Yeah, if you put it that way…" He has still yet to move.

"Uh, Itsumo, re you okay? And by the way, what's up with that aura?"

"Oh, that's right." Masamori said then walked over to Itsumo. "Sekkai!" The aura around Itsumo faded and he stretched his limbs.

"Thank you Masamori, I haven't quite figured out how to release that yet."

"No problem, maybe you should try to learn Sekkai."

"Hey." Yoshi called. "Was that some sort of Kekkai?"

"Yes actually." He said.

"Itsumo? How?" Nanalee was confused.

"They had books at the headquarters Celes, books on my kingdom and the powers they discovered. They were planning to start…" Itsumo stopped.

"We can talk about it later, in private…"

"That…" He turned and looked at everyone staring at them. "…would be better."

"Eh, sorry." Yoshi scratched his head.

"By the way, it's easier for the dogs to call me Nanalee, so-"

"I understand, Celes just doesn't seem natural any- wait, THE dogs?"

"Oh! That's right, I found them Itsumo. Changed just like us, but they're ali-" Silence.

"Alive?" Itsumo finished.

"Yes, I suppose… Here I'll introduce you and hope to Amaterasu that an Ayakashi doesn't interrupt our little extended celebration."

"Nanalee, you're babbling." Madarao said.

"That's right, she always babbles when she's… I'll leave it alone." She looked down then shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. This is Madarao, you know him as Ginro."

"Ah, the poisoner, I hear that you helped her out of many a tight situation."

"Ha ha, I geuss you could say that without me she wouldn't be here." Madarao floated up a little higher.

She sighed, "I don't want to hear you being proud after tonight Madarao." He sunk. "And this is Hakubi, I don't think I mentioned him much, but I remember telling you about him."

"You never talked about me?" Hakubi seemed to sink lower.

"Ah, Hakubi. You were the trouble making one right?" Hakubi blushed. "I seem to remember you running beneath women's evening gowns just to taunt Nanalee."

He floated higher. "Ah, the good ole days…" Nanalee sighed heavier.

"I could get along with Hakubi." Itsumo gestured.

"No you can't." She said simply.

"You're right." He said absently. "So, what now; 'Masa.'" Itsumo teased.

"I suppose you could stay with us, if grandpa will permit." Masamori stated.

"I don't have a problem with that." Itsumo yawned.

Nanalee looked at the two dogs. "How soon do we have to go back Yoshi?" She asked.

"Well, we could still patrol for about an hour more, but I don't think anymore Ayakashi are gonna show up. Why?" Yoshimuri squinted.

"I don't suppose I could have a few minutes with Hakubi and Madarao?"

"I don't see why not." Tokine answered.

"What do you mean? Even if it's almost dawn it doesn't mean that Ayakashi won't attack." Yoshimuri crossed his arms.

"Think about it Yoshi." Masamori stated. "Hakubi and Madarao are her best friends and she hasn't seen them for at least three-hundred years. Wouldn't you want to see one of your friends if you hadn't seen one in so long?"

He scowled, "I geuss."

"Thanks Yoshi, it means a lot." Nanalee waited. "C'mon guys, lets go."

Hakubi looked over at Tokine, then at Madarao. "Sure."

"I guess I don't have any choice." Madarao sighed.

"What does that mean?" Yoshi asked.

"Well Yoshi, you may think you're my master, but, Nanalee is my friend, she ranks a bit higher than you do Yoshimuri." He laughed as he floated toward the two as Yoshi shouted threats to his Ayakashi companion.

Masamori laughed, "Okay, oh and Itsumo isn't the only one I brought, come here." A fish swam out of the ground and hovered behind Masamori's head. The two dogs looked at the fish and cocked their heads.

"Ah, she's cute." Tokine called glowering at the fish. Hakubi narrowed his eyes.

"C'mon you two, let's go for a walk." Hakubi hesitated then followed.

They walked for a little then Madarao spoke up. "So Nanalee, what did you want to talk about?"

"I haven't seen you guys in so long. I wanted to know how you dealt with me, when I died." Nanalee looked at them, Madarao sunk lower and Hakubi seemed to glare at Madarao. "Well? I want to know how much I let you down, I want to make up for it."

"You don't have to make up for it, it that Udo's fault, and beneath that, it's part my fault too." Madarao looked up. "We had it coming, we should have known that is wasn't going to last."

"Don't talk like that." Nanalee looked up. "You can say it all you want but we could have made a difference. It's my fault so don't blame yourself. If I had just- If I wasn't so naïve, if I thought to stop the fighting and ask those Ayakashi. If Udo wasn't there… I'm just making excuses, it was my fault solely. I told you guys you could back down but you followed me, a foolish leader."

Madarao was silent. "I…" He shook his head. "You were the only thing keeping Kouya from going off the edge. And I'm grateful to you that we had him for that much longer. And if you really want to know, when you said for us to run, I followed you without question, knowing that when we did you would die. But back then, I geuss you could call yourself my master…"

"I'm not your master, I'm your friend."

"Then I have no regrets." They smiled, then Hakubi started to float away.

"Wait, Hakubi, I'm sorry that I ignored you."

"It's alright, you guys seemed to be closer friends than you and I were." Hakubi continued.

"Wait." Nanalee thought. "Madarao you can go back, I'll talk to Hakubi privately."

Madarao was silent. "Alright, don't be long, Tokine is waiting."

"I know." Madarao floated off, following Hakubi's path and taunting him as he went by. "Children." Nanalee said under her breath. "Hakubi…"

He turned and floated back. "Nanalee…"

"Tell me, how did you feel when-"

"Nanalee." Hakubi interrupted her. "When you disappeared, Master Tokimuri thought that you were killed at the hand of some Ayakashi. So he went in search for you and I found your scent then…"

"You found my body." Nanalee looked down.

"Fresh too. I caught the smell of two other Ayakashi and a bunch of humans along with that divinity/demon smell though I didn't know what it could have been then. I couldn't believe it. We both knew that it was a sword wound, we knew. But I, I thought that Madarao and Kouya…"

"You thought that Madarao and Kouya killed me…"

Hakubi nodded. "When we finally caught up to them I still smelt you on Kouya and all that human blood…" Hakubi shook his head, trying to hide his tears.

"Hakubi, I'm so sorry." Nanalee looked down.

"But you, you were traveling with them and you-" Hakubi stopped himself. His voice was getting shaky. "When we caught them, If Master Tokimuri could understand me, he would have probably tied me to that tree to die. We let Kouya go, and kept Madarao as a companion! I was so furious, I couldn't-" He had to hold back something.

"Hakubi, I know you're using all your strength to hold something back, what is it?"

Hakubi ignored her. "But Madarao, he could understand me, and we would have killed each other if Master Tokimuri didn't keep us in Kekkai to separate us whenever we did. Madarao stopped fighting eventually, he didn't care and I never said your name to him no matter how mad I got. I wanted him to pay, I wanted him to-"

"Hakubi! Please!" Hakubi stopped and she embraced him. "I'm sorry. This is my fault, I shouldn't have been thinking about myself, I should have thought about everyone else, I should have thought about you and Madarao and Kouya, but I was selfish, I was blinded by glory and everyone else paid instead. I'm not a very good friend I understand, but that's why I wanted to make it up to you. It's too late for Master Tokimuri and Kouya, but I will make this right for you and Madarao. I promise."

_You know that you may not be able to keep promise that Nanalee_ Amaterasu spoke in her head again.

_I don't care what you do, nothing will stop me! I will keep this promise. I owe it to them as much as I owe you my contract._ Amaterasu did not respond.

"I will make this right." She said. Hakubi held back his emotions still, but didn't resist the embrace. Being pressed against a woman's chest isn't something he usually dislikes.

Around the corner, listening intently to the conversation was Madarao; his eyes drooped in sadness as he whispered, "Hakubi you fool." He floated away, pondering the story. _So that's what it's been about?_


End file.
